An Angels falling, A devils uprise
by Degenerate X
Summary: When Gabriella's beaten and put on life support, Troy has to accept the fact that he might lose his angel, and track down her attacker. Troyella and Chaylor. COMPLETE, LAST CHAPTER UP!
1. An Angels falling

It was a Saturday afternoon, Gabriella was walking to her car.

She was at the movie theater, she went to see a chick flick and Troy refused to sit through it again seeing how he has taken her to it three times now.

She was walking along, not really thinking of anything, she stopped to look a window sale when suddenly someone grabbed her and drug her into a back alley.

"What the..." She started, but someone shoved their hand over her mouth.

"Listen up, your Bolton's girl right?" He asked.

She nodded, fear beging to rise from within her.

"Well two years back your dumbass little boyfriend beat down my little bro, now how do you think that makes me feel?" He asked, grabbing her hair.

Tears streamed down her face as he yanked her hair back, his hand still over her mouth.

Suddenly another guy walked up and grabbed her, he forced her hands behind her back and wrapped his hand over her mouth.

"Now listen here princess, C.J does'nt take mess from anyone, especially your white ass boyfriend, he cheated me and my team out of the state championship and then beats down on my little bro?'' "Let the bitch talk." He told the other guy.

He removed his hand and she said,"I...I don't know what your...talking about." Between sobs.

He slapped her, hard, it busted her lip.

"Tell your boy, that I'm ready for his ass, any time anyplace." He said.

Suddenly he cocked his head to the left.

"You know what, I'll just get the message across the only way I know, by beating it in you." He said, cracking his knuckles.

She screamed, but the other mans hand was over her mouth.

He puched her in the stomach, she bent over, out of breath.

He picked her face up and puched her hard, over and over, blood was trickling inbetween the other mans fingers.

He puched her a few more times in the ribs and stomach before signaling for the other man to drop her.

He tossed her down, and kicked her in the ribs over and over.

He was still kicking her when a trash can lid smashed into his face.

It was Ryan.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" He shouted.

He smashed the lid on his face over and over, the other man, the one who beat her ran off.

The other guy puched Ryan and took off.

Ryan would have chased after him, but he had more important things to deal with.

"Gabriella." He said, picking up the bloddy lifeless body in his arms.

"Gabriella, come on wake up." He said.

She did'nt move, she was bleeding from her mouth very badly.

Ryan had been out to pick up a few things.

He dug his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed his sister.

"Hello." She said.

"SHAR, it's me, Ryan, listen I was out and I found these two guys, they beat Gabriella, she's doing pretty bad Shar, I think she's dying." He said.

"WELL DON'T CALL ME CALL 911!" She shouted.

Ryan hung the phone up and franticaly dialed the number.

"Hello, what's your emergency." The operator asked.

"My friend was beaten up, I think she's dying, she's bleeding really bad from her mouth, I need help." He said.

"Ok, sir where are you located?" She asked.

"I'm on..." Ryan started, trying to remember the street name.

"HEY, WHAT'S THIS STEET NAME!" Ryan shouted to a man passing by.

"Oh, 11th...WAIT, WHAT DID YOU DO!" He shouted.

"It's 11th street." Ryan told the operator."Were in an alley, these two guys beat her PLEAE HURRY!" Ryan said, hanging up the phone as Gabriella coughed up a little blood.

"It's gonna be ok Gabbi just hold on." He said cradling her in his arms.

"What happened?" The man asked, talking off his jacket and trying to wipe some blood off her face.

"These two guys beat her, she's my friend, I was on my way home from the store, when I saw them." He said.

"Are you sure she did'nt provoke them?" He asked.

"Yes I'm sure, she's not at all like that, wait, why do care." He asked.

"Because I'm a cop, I'm just off duty." He said.

"Oh." Ryan said.

A siren could be heard.

The cop flagged them down and they loaded Gabriella up, Ryan rode with her.

**MEANWHILE**

Troy sat in his room, working on world history homework.

"Stupid Gabriella, making me do this crap, could'nt just gimme the answers." He said to himself.

"What do I care about Monaco?" He said.

His phone began to ring, he threw his pen down and gladly jumped up and walked away from the boring work.

"Hello." Troy said.

"Hi Troy, it's Shar, listen, I want you to stay calm." She said.

"Why?" Troy asked rasing an eyebrow.

"Troy something happened." She said.

Troy's stomach tightened a little.

"What?" He asked nervously.

"Gabriella, she's in the hospital Troy, I think you need to get down here." Sharpay said.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?" He shouted.

"Troy please please calm down, please just come down here, she..." Sharpay started, but Troy hung the phone up and ran out the front door, he crammed his key in the ignition and speed off.

After only about ten minutes he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, he jumped out of his car and ran inside.

Sharpay and Ryan were sitting in the lobby.

"Troy, there you are." She said.

"Where is Gabbi!" He asked frantically.

"Troy, I need to talk to you." Ryan said.

"WE CAN TALK LATER, WHERE'S GABRIELLA?" He shouted, grabbing him by the shirt.

"LISTEN!" Ryan said, shoving him off.

"I was at the store, I was on my way home when I found these two men in a back alley, they were beating her." He said.

"WHO THE FUCK WAS BEATING HER?" Troy screamed.

"I don't know, but I called the ambulance and she's up there, Troy, she's in pretty bad shape, they beat the hell outta her...she's bleeding internaly." Ryan said.

Troy shoved his hands on his head,"Oh my God, where is she?"

Sharpay took Troy's wrist and led him into the elevator.

"Wh...what does she look like?" He asked, trembling.

"She's bleeding really bad Troy, Ryan called me scared to death when he found her." She said.

"No." Troy said, near tears.

They finally made it up to ITU(Intensive Care Unit(it's like super bad if someone's in there)).

"Troy, I'm going to warn you, it's very hard to look at her like this." Sharpay said.

Troy shook his head and opened the door to her room.

He took two steps in the dark room before breaking down, she was in very bad shape, she was on life support.

He slowly approached the bed.

"Gabbi." He said, sitting next to her.

He took her cold hand into his shaking one.

He brushed some hair out of her face.

"Gabbi, it's me, it's Troy, I'm so sorry I let this happen to you." He said, tears streaming down his face.

"I let you down, and I'm sorry." He said.

He sat in silence for a sec, the only sound that could be heard were the respirator and his sniffling.

"I...I don't know who did this to you baby girl, but I'm gonna find them." He said.

"I love you so much baby, please don't leave me, your gonna get through this, your strong, I know you can." Troy said.

"Mr. Bolton?" A nurse asked behind him.

He nodded.

"Miss Montez is here to see Gabriella." She said, "And only one visiter at a time."

Troy nodded.

He kissed Gabriellas hand and gently placed it under her bed sheets.

"I'll be back baby girl, I promise, I'll never you." He said.

He stood up and walked to the door.

The nurse smiled politely and opened it for him.

"Troy, how is she." Miss Montez asked, tear stains visable on her face.

"Miss Montez, I...I..." He started, but he started choking on his own words.

She walked into the room and burst out crying, Troy looked away as the door shut behind him.

He stumbled up to a chair and colapsed in it, this all was a bad dream, yeah, that was it, he must have fallen asleep doing his homework, and any second now Gabriella would wake him up and call him lazy...but nothing, this certainly was'nt a dream.

He buried his face in his hands, crying as hard as he possibly could, his angel was in there knocking on deaths door and all he could do was sit in a chair and mentally curse himself for not going to sit with her through that damn movie just one more time.

_**Flashback...**_

"Please." Gabriella pleaded.

"NO!" Troy said.

"Just one last time, and I promise I'll wait for the DVD." She said.

"I'm not going to sit through that crappy movie one more time, I've taken you three times already." He said.

"Please." She said, making puppy dog eyes.

Troy's eyes softened, but he turned his head and said,"No."

Gabriella sighed and looked down,"I thought I was your angel." She said, hanging her head and walking away.

Troy rolled his eyes and stood up, and pulled her into a hug from behind and said,"You know you are, but I'm not going to that movie again, can't you just take Taylor?"

"She already saw it, and hated it." She said.

"Kelsi?" He asked.

"Out of town." She said.

"Sharpay?" He asked, hoping someone would register.

"Does'nt like these kind of movies." She said.

"...Ryan?" Troy said.

"He's a guy." She said.

"Yeah but he's g...passionate." Troy said.

Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Ok, fine I'll take you." He said.

"Yay, your the best.." She started, but he cut her off,"IF, you gimme the answers to the world history homework."

"NO WAY, Troy, it's the test review, your never going to learn anything if I keep doing your work for you." She said.

"Oh ok, mom, I see how it is, I take you to a movie, but you won't help me with my homework." He said.

"If you need help that's one thing, but cheating..." She said.

"God, why do you have to be such a goody goody all the time?" He asked.

"You know what, I'll just go to the movies alone." She said, walking away.

"FINE, I HOPE THE POPCORN'S STALE!" Troy shouted.

_**End Flashback...**_

Sharpay sat next to Troy and put her arm around him.

"Troy, I'm so sorry." She said.

He did budge, he continued to cry.

"Troy please don't cry, she's gonna get through this, I know she will she's stonger than this." Sharpay said, showing genuine concern for one of the first times in a while.

"I...I...could...have...stopped all...this." Troy said, between sobs.

"It was'nt your fault." She said.

"Yes it...it..it was." He said.

Sharpay wrapped her arms around him and he cried in her shoulder.

Meanwhile Ryan was outside the hospital, he pulled his phone out...

**MEANWHILE**

"CHAD!" Taylor called.

"Yeah?" He said from the other room.

"What are you doin?" She asked.

"Trying to fix this stupid microwave." He said.

"Why?" She asked.

"Cause I'm hungry, and all we have is microwave burritos and tea." He said.

"That's because you won't get a damn job." She said, putting her hands on her hips.

"I had a job." He said.

"Yeah then you got caught stealing." She said.

"It was only a quater." He said.

"Yeah a quater of a million dollars." She said,"Who knew you could hack a safe, where'd you learn?"

"Well, I was talking a smoke break." He started,"And the vault was open, well I took it upon myself to help the security guys unload the cash."

She nodded.

"Well they smarted off, so I took. I dunno, a bag full of money." He said.

"Are you kidding?" She asked.

"Nope, they noticed so I threw it at them." He said.

A smiled emerged on her lips, even though it was'nt right to laugh at.

"So they caught me, and gave me the whole run down on stealing." He said.

"And they like, did'nt take you to jail, is'nt what you did a federal offense?" She asked.

"Yeah, it is, but I gave them each a case off beer, and they let me off." He said.

"Oh, wow, well I'd have fired you too, if I'd caught you stealing all that money." She said.

"Oh no, they did'nt fire me for the money." He said.

"Then for what?" She asked.

"The beer." He said.

She laughed, but she saw that he was dead serious.

"Oh." She said.

"Well I guess I'm just gonna eat this cold." He said, unwrapping the burrito.

Suddenly Taylor's phone rang, it was Ryan.

"Hey Taylor. listen, I think you might want to sit down for this." He told her.

"What happened?" She asked confused.

"Just sit dowm first." He said.

She sat next to Chad on the couch who looked at her confused.

"Well, I'm sitting down, talk." She said.

"It's Gabriella." He said.

"What happened to Gabriella?" She asked, standing up.

"She was attacked, she's...she's on life support Taylor." He said.

Taylor covered her hand with her mouth, she colapsed next to Chad on the couch, breathing hard.

"What's wrong?" He asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I think you need to get down here, Troy and Gabriella both need all the support they can get." Ryan said.

"We're on our way now." Taylor said, hanging the phone up.

"What happened?" Chad asked.

A few tears escaped Taylor's eyes,"Gabriella's on life support Chad, someone beat her."

"WHAT?" He asked, standing up,"Who beat her, Troy?"

"No, I don't know, we need to go." She said.

They both headed out the door and they were on their way to the hospital.

Well good start here, let's see, next chapter, Troy put's a plan together to find Gabbi's attacker, everyone takes turns blaming theirself for Gabbi's attack, and DUM DUM DUM...1 word...flatline...

!REVIEW!REVIEW!REVIEW!


	2. Flatlining

Well chapter two, I only intended for this to be about two or three, but due to the response I might drag it out a little...

Troy sat in the waiting room, his hands over his face, he had cried himself out, and was just staring at the floor blankly, Taylor and Chad were on their way to the hospital and Miss Montez was still with Gabriella.

"Troy, would you like a drink?" Sharpay asked, rubbing his back.

He shook his head, it had been about thirty minutes since he first got the news, and already he was wishing he was dead, rather dead than seeing Gabriella like this.

"Troy, are you ok now?" She asked.

He shook his head.

She made a sad face and continued to rub his back.

Suddenly Taylor came barging into the room, followed by Chad and Ryan.

"Where's Gabbi?" She asked, out of breath.

"Calm down, calm down." Sharpay said,"Her mom's in there with her right now."

"I can't belive this is happening, why Gabbi, what did she do?" Taylor asked, tears streaming down her face.

"It's my fault." Troy whispered.

"No it was'nt." Sharpay said, looking at Taylor and gesturing towards Chad.

Taylor signaled for Chad to come over, he walked up and sat next to Troy.

"Hey man." He said.

Troy did'nt look up.

"Troy, It's gonna be alright, she's gonna get through this." He said.

"There should be nothing for her to get through, if I had stayed with her, she's be fine, no of this would be happening, this is my fault." He said.

"No, it's not, she's gonna get through this." Chad said.

Troy said nothing.

Miss Montez walked out of the room, tears streaming down her face, Taylor immediantly went to console her.

"You want to see her?" Chad asked.

Without saying a word, Troy stood up and walked into the room.

He closed the dor behind him and walked up to her.

"Hey angel, it's me again, I told you I would'nt leave you, ever." He said, taking her hand again.

"Everyone's out there Gabbi, we're all waiting on you to wake up, we all miss you baby girl." Troy said, crying again.

He buried his face in her bedsheets and repeated "I'm sorry." over and over.

After about three minutes, he looked back up, her face was bruised severly, she had bandages all over her body, she looked as if she had been ran over, instead of beaten.

"I'm gonna find the bastard the hurt you, and I'm gonna snap his neck, I promise you baby, I'm gonna break his neck, and when I do, I want you to see it, so wake up soon

baby girl, I'm gonna let the other come see you know." Troy said.

"Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, you mom, their all here, and so am I, please wake up baby, I love you." Troy said.

He one again kissed her hand and placed it under the sheets again.

He opened the door and walked out.

Taylor walked up to him.

"Troy, I'm so sorry, how is she?" She asked.

"Terrible, but I know she wants to see you." Troy said.

Taylor nodded, she walked in Gabbi's room.

"Hey Gabriella." Taylor said, sitting next to her.

She stroked her bruised cheek.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." She said.

"We're all here for you Gabriella, we're not going anywhere." She said.

"Gabbi pleae wake up, I miss you, Troy misses you, your mom misses you, we all miss you, we'll be waiting for you Gabz, so wake up soon." She said.

She stood up and walked out of the room sadly, she walked back into the waiting room, where she colapsed into Chad's arms, crying.

"She looks so awfull." She said.

"I know Tay, it's gonna be alright." Chad said, rocking her.

Miss Montez walked back in the room with Gabriella.

Everyone just stared at their feet, not sure of what to say to Troy.

"T..Troy?" Sharpay said, sitting next to him.

He looked at her, his usually bright blue eyes, seemed to be dark and cloudy now, his usual friendly smile replaced with a frown, his usual, team captain attitude replaced with that of a scared little child.

"It's...it's gonna be alright." She said, hugging him tightly.

Suddenly a doctor walked into the waiting room.

"I'm looking for Monica Montez." He said.

"Hold on." Ryan said, jumping up and running to the door.

He knocked softly and Miss Montez opened it.

"Hello, are you Miss Montez?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." She said, brushing a few tears away.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Escue." He said, sticking his hand out.

Miss Montez shook his hand, hers still trembling.

"I have the results of Gabriella's x-rays and tests." He said.

Everyone's eyes got huge.

"Would you like to step in a private room?" He asked.

She nodded.

They stepped into a small room, Troy walked up to the door and pressed his ear against it, but it was sound proof, but if it was'nt, here's what he would have heard,

"Miss Montez, Gabriella has suffered two severe concussions, now the bruises, cuts and swelling, will go away shortly, but here's the problem, she has suffered six broken rib, one of which has penetrated her lung, she's unable to breath on her own, we will not know if we can fix this or not untill tommorow, also she has suffered a broken arm and some internal bleeding, like I said, tommorow we will know if she's gonna make it, that is...The doctor bit his lip, he looked down and sighed, that is, if she makes it through the rest of the day and night."

Miss Montez buried her face in her hands and cried.

"I'm so sorry, we're doing all we can." The doctor said.

"I...I know, I..I just don't know what I'll do if I lose my...my...my baby girl." She said crying.

The doctor helped her out of the room.

She sat next to Troy and took his hands in hers.

"Troy, Gabbi might not make it through the day." She said.

Troy looked down so did everyone else.

"She has two concussions, a broken arm, and six broken ribs, one of her ribs stabbed through her lung, we'll know if she's gonna make it by tommorow, if she makes it through the rest of the day." She said.

Sharpay walked out of Gabriella's room, Ryan told her the news, this made her cry.

Now Sharpay has wished death upon Gabriella hundreds of times, but she never really actually meant it, she was only jealous of her, she never wanted her to be in this much pain.

"It's...it's my fault, I was so mean to her." Sharpay said.

Ryan pulled her in a hug,"No, it's not your fault, it's mine, if I had walked just a little quicker than those men would have never beaten her." He said.

"No...I should have never let my Gabbi go alone, this is all my fault." Miss Montez said.

"I should have been there for her, she's my best friend, and I let her down this is my fault." Taylor said.

"STOP IT!" Troy shouted,"I WAS THE ONE WHO LET HER GO ALONE, I LET THIS HAPPEN TO HER, It...it's my fault...I..." He did'nt finish, he stormed out of the waiting room, tears in his eyes.

Chad stood up and chased after him.

"Troy, wht are you gonna do?" He asked.

"I'm gonna find who did this to her, and I'm gonna rip their heart out." Troy said through gritted teeth.

Chad tried to stop, him, but Troy shoved him away, he stormed in the elevator, and smashed the first floor button.

Chad bearly made it through the doors.

"Leave me alone." Troy said.

Chad slapped him,"GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!"

"I know this is hard, how do you think I felt when my mom died, but your gonna have to keep your head, cause if you go do something stupid, what's Gabriella gonna do when she wakes up only to find that you went out and got your damn head blown off?" Chad asked.

Troy looked down.

"I...I'm sorry I slapped you, but your gonna have to stay calm, and you need to be here for her, she needs you man." Chad said.

"I...I know." Troy said.

"You wanna go get a drink and go back up?" He asked.

Troy shook his head.

"Well let's go back up." Chad said, as the elevator landed at the bottom, suddenly Troy and Chad's cellphones went off at the same time.

The both pulled them out and answered.

Chad's:"CHAD GET TROY UP HERE NOW!" Taylor said.

Troy's:"TROY, WE NEED YOU UP HERE, SOMETHING'S WRONG TROY, Gabriella's...flatlining." Sharpay said...

Well, kind of short, but it will get better, but only if you review!


	3. Take mine

Well I'm getting new internet service, so expect faster updates!

Troy smashed the six floor button over and over.

"Calm down." Chad said, trembling himself.

"COME ON!" Troy said, shaking a rail on the side of the elevator, after what seemed like an hour, but true life it was only about ten seconds, the elevator landed on the sixth floor.

Troy charged through the doors and ran to the ICU, getting yelled at by a janitor not to run the hospital, but he ignored him, he charged in the room.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!" He shouted.

"Troy, she's flatlining." Sharpay said, tears streaming down her face.(Ok, I've had like four people ask me what flatlining is, that's when you die, so if she's flatlining, she's dead).

"NO!" Troy shouted. punching to door to her room, the doctors had locked it, they were inside of the room doing god knows what.

Troy fell to his knees in front of the door, still punching it, repeating "no no no", over and over.

Almost everyone was crying, everyone except Chad and Ryan.

"Please God, don't take her yet, please please please." Miss Montez said.

Taylor, who was crying herself, hugged Miss Montez.

"Wait." Troy said, opening his eyes.

"Wait...WAIT, SHUT UP!" He shouted.

Everyone went silent.

"The beep it...stopped." He said.

"They probably unplugged the machine." Chad whispered to Ryan.

He nodded sadly.

Suddenly the door opened, the doctor stepped out.

"EVERYONE, Gabriella's ok, her heart rate temporarily increased, the machine misread it, she's fine for now." The doctor said.

"Thank you god." Miss Montez said, hugging Taylor tightly.

Troy, still shaking, sat next to Sharpay.

The rest of the day seemed to all be a blur, at about eight, Taylor and Chad left, an hout later Sharpay and Ryan went, Troy and Miss Montez were the only two, the never once left Gabriella alone, they were in and out of her room at all times.

The night seemed to drag on and on before morning, Taylor and Chad showed up at about eight in the morning, and Sharpay and Ryan at about noon.

"Miss Montez, could you step intro my office?" The doctor asked.

She nodded and walked into the cool office.

"Miss Montez, we've studied Gabriella's x-rays at several different angles, now we can remove the broken rib from her lung, but the problem is, is that we're not sure if her lung can withstand the operation, now if I can't we could do a very risky lung transplant, but there are no guarantees." The doctor told her.

She nodded.

"As for her ribs, those can actually heal, it will require surgery, but we can fix those, the real concern is her lung, it's very hard to find a healthy lung donor, seeing how so many people smoke these days, but if we can find someone, we might be able to pull it off." He said.

She nodded once more.

"So, we need you to decide if you want us to go through with the procedure by tonight." He said, handing her a clipboard with papers on it.

"What's this?" She asked.

"These are the papers we need you to sign, if you would like us to go through the opereation." He said.

She flipped through the papers.

"I...I don't know." She said,"Could I have a little time to think?" She asked.

The doctor nodded.

She stood up and walked out of the office, papers in hand.

"Troy, the doctor said they need to operate on Gabbi, but it's a fifty/fifty shot, they think they can fix the problems, but they said they need a lung donor." She said.

Everyone's eyes got huge.

"Right here, tell the doctor take it right now!" Troy said, jumping up.

"TROY NO!" Taylor said.

"I have to, you think I'm gonna let her die?" Troy asked.

"Troy, I...I can't let you do that." She said.

"You have to, Miss Montez please, I told you daughter, that I'd do anything for her, include die, and I meant what I said, please just take mine." He said.

"I...I just can't do it, Gabbi would'nt want that." Miss Montez said.

Troy sighed.

She stood up and knocked on the doctors door, he opened it and she walked in.

Everyone else sat in the waiting room.

"I...I can't belive this." Taylor said.

"I know." Sharpay said.

"The only way for Gabbi to live, is for one of us to die." Chad said.

"Yeah, I'm right here, I'm giving her that lung!" Troy said.

"Troy, you can't, you heard her, Miss Montez said Gabbi would'nt..." Taylor started, but he cut her off,"LOOK, sometimes people think they know what's best for them, when they really don't, Gabbi needs a lung, I've never smoked, I never drink, I've played basketball since the second grade, my lung's perfect for her."

Everyone looked down, to afraid to argue, knowing they had no right.

"See, we're all in agreement, she gets my lung." He said.

Miss Montez walked out of the office.

"The doctor said, we could wait about three days for a different lung donor." She said.

"No need, there's one right here." Troy said.

"Troy, NO, your not giving up yourself, it's not your decision to make, it's mine, we're waiting for three days, and that's final!" Miss Montez said, rasing her voice and putting her foot down for one of the firsr times in her life.

Everyone looked at Troy, he nodded slowly and sat back down.

Miss Montez signed the papers after about an hour of thinking and discussing.

"Ok, we'll wait for three day, not counting today, if no one comes forward, then...there's nothing more I can do." He said.

She nodded sadly and walked back in the waiting room.

"Well?" Taylor asked.

"They said in three days, if no one comes forward, then their going to pull the plug on her." She said, crying once more.

"They will do no such of a thing, cause in three days, if no one else can do it, I will, and there's not a force in the universe that can stop me." Troy said.

Everyone looked down, not even Miss Montez argued this time.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Troy had walked into the room to be with Gabriella, and Chad and Ryan had stepped outside to get some fresh air.

"You think she's gonna make it?" Chad asked, lighting up a ciggaret.

"I hope so." Ryan said, tapping a button on a coke machine.

Chad took a puff and flicked some ash on the ground.

"You want one?" He asked, offering Ryan a ciggaret.

"No thanks, I don't smoke." He said, sitting down, swirling the remains of his drink around in the alluminum can.

"I hope she makes it, I've never seen Troy like this." Chad said.

"Me neither, and she does'nt deserve this, she's such a good person, who would do this to the sweetest girl in the world?" Ryan asked.

Suddenly Chad's eyes shot open.

"Ryan, you were the one who found her right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Ryan said.

"Did you see anyone?" He asked.

"Well yeah, the guys who were beating her." He said.

"YOU FREAKIN IDIOT, WHY THE HELL DID'NT YOU TELL THE COPS?" Chad shouted.

"I DON'T KNOW, I...I PANICED." Ryan shouted.

"We need to tell the cops, like now." Chad said, he pulled his cell phone out and called them, after about an hour they showed up, Ryan told them everything, they even recongnized the off duty cop who stopped and helped him, they said they would call with any info on the attackers and wished Gabriella the best of luck.

"Well that went well, now I'm a suspect." Ryan said, back in the waiting room.

"Well at least they can look for these creeps now." Sharpay said.

Taylor walked out of Gabriella's room and Miss Montez walked in.

Sharpay and Ryan went to go get the gang food, everyone except Troy, who refused to eat, still a ball of nerves.

After everyone had eaten, and talked to Gabbi one last time, they headed home once more, except Troy and Miss Montez.

"Miss Montez, I love your daughter, I really do, I've made plenty of mistakes before, but nothing bad as letting this happen to her, please, let them take my lung." Troy pleaded.

Miss Montez smiled weakly and said,"Troy, from the first time I met you, I knew that you really cared about my Gabbi, her father was never there for her, I was all she had and she was all I had, I never wanted to lose her, to anyone, but now that I see the way care about her, Troy, I really can tell you love her, but I can't let you do that, I'm sorry, but I just can't." She said.

Troy nodded, eyes full of tears.

"I...I hate seeing her like this Miss...Miss Montez, it's so hard to know that this is my fault." He said.

"Oh Troy, it was'nt your fault." She said, hugging him.

It was very akward to break down in front of someone you hardly know, but it did'nt matter if the entire world was watching him, Troy was crying.

Miss Montez pulled him in a tight hug.

"It's ok Troy, she's gonna get through this, I know she will." Miss Montez whispered, rocking him.

"I'm...I'm...sorry, I don't deserve your pity." He said.

"Shhhh, don't talk like that." She said,"It's ok, let it all out."

Troy cried into her shoulder untill he was nearly asleep.

He had'nt slept or eaten in two days.

But he refused to go to sleep, and as for eating, the thought of food made him sick.

Troy felt like a little kid, being rocked liked this, but he did'nt want to move.

"There, don't you feel better now?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"It's ok sweet heart." She said.

Troy brushed his last tear away and sat back up.

"I'm gonna go check on Gabbi." Miss Montez said.

Troy nodded.

Miss Montez walked in Gabriella's room, and Troy sat in the waiting room.

He was thinking about Gabriella's party last year, the way she smiled when she saw the necklace he bought her, it was the exact one she had asked for, he'll never forget their first kiss on his birthday, when she asked him what he wanted, he told her he had exactly what he wanted, her.She suddenly stopped him, and kissed him, it was truly magical.

Troy smiled a little, but his reminiscing was cut short when his cellphone went off.

"Hello." Troy said.

"Troy, it's Chad." He said.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Dude, Ryan just called." He said.

"And?" Troy asked.

"The cops called him." He said.

Troy jumped up,"WHAT DID THEY SAY?"

"They know who attacked Gabbi." Chad said...

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


	4. Ryan's a gay who likes TV dinners

Three chapter left, counting this one.

"WHO?" Troy asked.

"Ok, now I need you to think, remember two years ago, the state championship game, remember that black dude, Carl, the reallly pissy kid who kept traveling, and our ref called it, and he said it was rigged and made a big deal about it?" Chad asked.

"Oh yeah, and then his brother would'nt leave Gabriella alone, and he grabbed her...oh my God." Troy said.

"IT WAS THOSE TWO!" He shouted.

"Yeah, but the police don't know where they can be found, they put out wanted poters and stuff though." Chad said.

Troy colapsed in a chair.

"This is all my fault, I told you." He said.

"No it was'nt." Chad said.

Troy sighed.

"What are we gonna do?" He asked.

"I don't know." Troy said.

"Well you better think of something." Chad said.

"I know, we'll get em." Troy said.

"We, who's we?" Chad asked.

"Never mind, I don't need to drag anyone else in this mess." Troy said.

"I'm kidding man, you know I got your back, me and Tay will be back tommorow man, I guess I'm gonna go, I'll call you with any now info on this guy." Chad said.

"Ok, thanks man, I'll see you tommorow." Troy said.

"Alright bro, tell Gabbi Tay and me said goodnight." Chad said.

"I'll do that."Troy smiled, hanging up the phone.

Miss Montez walked out of the room.

"I'm sure she misses you Troy." She said.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Troy said, walking into Gabriellla's room.

"Hey angel." He said, sitting next to her.

"We know who did this to you, and we're gonna find them, I promise." He said.

"The doctor says he can save you baby girl, your gonna make it baby, I know you will...I...I promise." Troy said.

He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, her bruises were going away slightly, but she still was in very bad shape.

"I love you Gabbi, and I'll do anything for you, I want you to know that, I've said it before and I meant it, I'll do anything for you." Troy said.

Troy tried to speak, but nothing came out, he looked down.

"I...I'll be back baby girl, I promise." He said, he leanded over and kissed her forehead.

Troy walked out of waiting room, and up to Miss Montez, she had fallen asleep in the waiting room chair.

Troy pulled his jacket off and draped it over her.

He sat in the hospital cafeteria, sipping a coffee, that was all he had to eat or drink in two days.

"Carl Johnson." He said, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm gonna kick your..." He started, but his phone went off.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey Troy, it's Taylor, listen I can't sleep, I'm just to worried about you and Gabbi, Troy, you need to gey some rest." She said.

"Don't worry about me Taylor, I'm fine." He said.

"Well I'm gonna bring you breakfast tommorow, anf your gonna eat." She said.

Troy smiled,"Ok, I promise I'll eat it."

"Ok Troy, try and get some sleep and tell Miss Montez and Gabbi I'll see them tommorow." She said.

"Ok Tay." Troy said, hanging up.

Morning came rolling in, sure enough Taylor made breakfast for everyone, and Troy ate it, he nearly threw up, but he ate evey bit of it.

"Good morning Miss Montez, could I speak to you for a sec?" The doctor asked.

"Sure." Miss Montez said, walking in his office.

"Hello Miss Montez." The doctor said.

"Hello." Miss Montez said.

"Well good news and bad news, Gabriella's cut and brusises are healking just fine, her broken arm is doing fine, but we are yet to get a donor, and her lung is growing weaker each day." He said.

"Well, her boyfriend is determind to donate his." She said.

"Oh really?" The doctor asked.

"Yes, but doctor he's only eighteen, and he does'nt realize what he's saying." She said.

The doctor smiled,"I understand, that's the way people get when their loved one's are put in such a situation."

"He said that if no one donates in two days that he will." She said.

"Well if he wants to, that's his poragative, I just need him to understand that if he does that, he will die...unless..." The doctor started,"W could do a partial lung transplant, you see, most lung transplants come from deceased donors, occasionally, a partial lung transplant may come from a living donor, two living donors are needed for each recipient."

"Oh." She said.

"I'm not sure if anyone else will donate though."

"Well then in two days, if no one else will, that young man is going to make the ultimate scarifice, I just hope he understands what he's doing." The doctor said.

"Me too." Miss Montez said looking down.

"What's his name?" The doctor asked.

"Troy Bolton." The doctor said.

The doctor nodded,"What relation is he to Gabriella?"

"He's her boyfriend." Miss Montez said smiling.

"He sounds very nice." The doctor said.

"You have no idea, he's been here longer than I have, and now he's gonna give up his life for her, I...I just can't stand to see that happen." She said, tearing up.

"Someone might come forward, we'll just have to pray." The doctor said.

Miss Montez nodded.

The doctor held the open for her as she walked out of the office.

"What was that about?" Taylor asked.

"Taylor, could you distract Troy, I need to talk to everyone" She whispered.

"Sure." She said.

"Gee, I left my jacket in the car, could you go get it for me?" Taylor asked Troy.

"Ummm, ok." Troy said.

"Thanks." She smiled, handing him her keys.

Troy walked out of the room.

"Guys listen up." Miss Montez said.

Everyone looked up.

"In two days, Troy's gonna give his lung to Gabriella." She said.

Everyone nodded.

"He's gonna die." She said.

Everyone gasped.

"But he can't do that, can he?" Chad asked.

"If he wants, the doctors will do it, but there's another way." She said.

"WHAT?" Everyone blurted out.

"There something they can do called a partial lung transplant, two people donate, no one dies...I don't think." She said.

"Right here." Chad said.

"No I'll do it." Taylor said.

Sharpay and Ryan looked at each other, then down, they were both scared.

Suddenly Troy walked back in the room.

"Hey Tay I got your...what's going on?" He asked.

"Boy your fast." Taylor said.

"Ummm, we were...just talking." Miss Montez said.

"About?" Troy asked.

Everyone looked around.

"Ummm...Ryan's...gay." Sharpay said.

"SHAR!" Ryan said.

"What?" Troy asked.

"Who likes T.V dinners, I like T.V dinners, do you like T.V dinners?" Chad asked.

"OH, I love T.V dinners, do you like T.V dinners?" Taylor asked.

Troy just stared at them.

"What are you talking about?" He asked confused.

"Ryan's gay." "T.V dinners." Sharpay and Chad said at the same time.

"Ryan's a gay who likes T.V dinners." Taylor said.

Troy looked around and shook his head.

"Seriously though, what are ya'll talking about?" He asked.

"Ryan's gay crush...on you." Sharpay said.

"I'M NOT GAY!" Ryan said.

"Shut up fag." Chad said.

"YOU SHUT UP!" Ryan shouted.

"DO SOMETHING!" Chad said, throwing his hands up.

Ryan jumped up and took his jacket off, Sharpay and Taylor trying to keep them appart.

Suddenly Troy jumped between them.

"GUYS STOP, STOP!" He said.

But they refused to stop, and Sharpay and Taylor could'nt hold them back.

"FINE, YOU WANNA FIGHT?" Troy shouted, he puched Chad in the face and he fell back in a chair, then he spun around and knned Ryan in the stomach, he fell to the floor out of breath.

"Go ahead and fight now." He told the two nearly uncouncious boys.

Taylor, Sharpay, and Miss Montez stared at each other, wide eyed.

"Wow, Troy's..strong." Taylor said.

"See now maybe you'll control your temper." Sharpay said, nudging Ryan.

Ryan whimpered, still on the floor.

"Well I...what happened in here?" The doctor asked.

"Oh, my brother just loves...the floor tile, he's into that kind of thing, being gay and all." Sharpay said, helping Ryan into a chair.

The doctor raised an eyebrow.

"I was going to say Gabriella's doing fine." He said.

"That's good, thank you doctor." Troy said, sticking his hand out.

"Ah, you must be Troy?" The doctor asked, shaking his hand.

"Yes." Troy said.

"Miss Montez had told me all about you." The doctor said smiling.

Troy smiled back.

"Well this is not the best of things, but we do have a critically ill person we're tending to right now, they could pass away any hour now, but we'll have to see if their family is willing to donate their lungs." The doctor said.

Troy nodded.

"Well maybe someone else will give her the lung." Taylor said.

"I feel kind of weird, talking about this, like it's a game, like here, take my lung, I've got eleven." Sharpay said.

Troy actually chuckled a little.

"It's not easy to talk about, but it's what's most important right now, and if my baby girl needs a lung, she's gonna get one...even if it's mine." Troy said.

The day passed by faster than most, Sharpay and Ryan left at about five, but before they did, for some reason, Ryan talked to the doctor in his office for about twenty minutes and left kind of depessed.

Chad and Taylor stuck around till about eleven before Taylor fell asleep on Chad's shoulder, and Miss Montez told them to go home and get some rest, Troy spent most of the day with Gabbi.

Miss Montez went home tonight to take a shower and get some rest, she pleaded with Troy to go, but he refused to leave Gabriella

"Ok ok, just promise me you will go home tommorow." Miss Montez said.

Troy looked down,"Ok, fine I promise."

"Thank you sweetie, I'll be back tommorow, around seven A.M." She said.

"It's ok, you can take your time, get some rest, and be carefull." Troy said.

"Ok Troy, I'll se you tommorow." She said, hugging Troy, she kissed Gabriella's forehead and walked out of the room.

"Just you and me now baby girl." Troy said.

"I remember when we first started dating, we would have killed to have been alone like this." Troy said, smiling weakly.

Troy layed his head next to Gabriella's.

"I love you." He whispered.

Troy was nearly asleep, when suddenly he felt Gabriella squeeze his hand.

"G...Gabbi?" He asked.

"Oh my God...Gabbi, I know you can hear me, please do that again if you can." Troy said.

He waited for a few minutes but nothing.

He layed his head back down.

"I must be delirious" He said.

But suddenly, he felt her squeeze him again.

"Ok, I know I did'nt imagine that." He said.

"Can you hear me?" He whispered.

After a few seconds, she squeeze his hand.

"Oh my God." Troy said, eyes full of tears.

"I love you baby girl." He said.

She gently squeeze his hand.

"Do you know where your at?" He asked.

Nothing.

"Your in a hospital, your going to be ok though, you were attacked, it was all my fault, and I promise I'm going to make up for it." He said.

Nothing.

"Gabbi." He whispered.

She squeeze his hand once more.

"Get some sleep baby, I'm not going anywhere." He said.

After a few seconds, she was out again.

Troy layed his head next to her again, after a few minutes, Troy was fast asleep.

Well there ya go, the only reason I got to write this is because I was up at about six this morning, getting ready for Summer School, I started reading a really good fanfic, I really wanted to write, but I had to go, I got dressed and walked out of my room, when I did, my mom told me that the school was closed due to flooding, I was like sweet, so I got to write this chapter, anyway review!


	5. Rest

Ok, I know I said there were only two chapters left, but their might be more, we'll just have to see where the fanfic road takes us...

"I love you Troy." Gabriella whispered, kissing him softly, they were on a beach, the warm summer air splashing across their bodies, as they walked hand in hand.

"I love you too." Troy said, smiling.

She hugged him and said,"Troy, I need you do do one thing for me."

"Anything baby." He said.

She looked him right in the eyes and said,"I need you to wake up."

"What?" He asked.

Suddenly Troy shot up, he was in the hospital room with Gabriella.

"It was...a dream." He said sadly.

"Only a dream." He said.

Troy kissed Gabriella's hand.

"I love you baby, I'm gonna let you rest, I'll be back in a little while." He said.

He walked out of the room and sat down, but this nearly put him back to sleep.

He stood up and stumbled around the hospital for about an hour, he tried to down a cup of coffee, but he nearly threw up after two sips.

He really needed sleep, but NO, he could'nt leave Gabriella.

After a long six hours. morning finaly rolled in, bringing, Miss Montez, Taylor and Chad, and Sharpay and Ryan.

"NO, I'M NOT AIN'T GOIN NO WHERE!" Troy shouted.

"Listen to yourself, your so tired you can't even talk right." Taylor said.

"I know what I sound like, I sound like me, who is Troy." He said.

"Dude seriously though, you sound drunk, you need a really long nap." Chad said.

"I need NOTHING!" Troy said.

"Please, do it for me." Taylor said, making a puppy dog face.

"And me." Sharpay said doing the same.

Troy glared at them, a wild look in his eyes,"What are you two like sisters or somethin?"

"NO!" They both blurted out, looking at each other, then crossing their arms.

"Troy, you really need sleep, you promised me." Miss Montez said.

"I...I know." Troy said, yawning.

"Come on Troy, you need some sleep." Ryan said.

"I need nothing, I heard all about you and your gayness." He said, swinging his finger at him.

Ryan sighed.

"Troy you..." Taylor started, but Troy cut her off,"Oh man, I just got the bestest idea, watch this."

He turned Taylor and Sharpay's faces towards each other.

"Now you two kiss." He said.

"UGH TROY!" Taylor said.

"Serously, if he was'nt so tired and I did feel so sorry for him I'd slap him." Sharpay said.

"OK, time to go." Chad said, dragging Troy out of the chair.

"No, Gabriella needs me!" He said, reaching for the doorknob to her room.

Ryan stood up and helped Chad drag him to the door.

"THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!" Chad said as they drug him through the door.

"I'm sorry Troy, I'll call you if anything happens." Miss Montez said before the door closed.

"LET ME GO, GABRIELLA...MMMMMMM!" Troy shouted as Ryan shoved his hand over his mouth and drug him in the elevator.

"YOUR FREAKIN TERRORIST!" Troy shouted.

"You keep thinking that buddy." Chad said.

"Oh my god, is the floor going up, or are we going down?" Troy asked.

"A little of both." Ryan said as the elevator landed on the first floor.

Troy walked through the lobby and parking lot, this time without putting up a struggle.

"So you gonna drive him or you want me too?" Chad asked Ryan.

"Hey I'm no idiot, I can drive myselfs, remember, you never forget how to calibrate a bicycle."Troy said.

"Yeah, I'm driving." Ryan said.

"Well good luck with that." Chad said, spinning around and walking back to the hospital.

"Here ya are buddy." Ryan said, opening Troy's door.

Troy climbed into the seat and Ryan shut the door.

He was walking around the front of the car, when he noticed his shoe was untied, he stopped and tied it, it took about ten seconds, he opened the drivers door and climbed in the car.

"So Troy you..."Ryan started, but he looked over and saw that Troy had literally passed out with exhaustion.

"Poor guy." Ryan said, turning on the air conditioner and turing the vent towards Troy.

After a thirty minutes, Ryan pulled in Troy's driveway.

"Ok buddy, time to wake up." Ryan said shaking Troy.

Troy moaned a little and shoved his hand away.

"W...what?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Your home Troy." Ryan said.

"W...what...wait...WHERE'S GABRIELLA?" Troy asked.

"She's at the hospital." Ryan said.

"I have to go back, I have to go back." Troy said, but Ryan shook him and said,"YOU JUST LEFT THIRTY MINUTES AGO!"

"Gabbi needs me!" Troy said, frantically trying to gey away.

"She's fine Troy, I promise." Ryan said.

Troy looked down.

"Are...are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes, I promise." He said.

Ryan helped Troy out of the car and into his home.

"Are you sure your ok?" Ryan asked.

"I'm fine." Troy said.

"You we're in pretty bad shape back at the hospital, you tried to make my sister and Taylor kiss." Ryan said.

Troy closed his eyes and grinned.

"Yeah...sorry." He said.

"Ehhh, no harm done, so get some rest, eat a hot meal, and take a nice hot shower, and change into some fresh cloths and you can come back to the hospital, I'll see you there." Ryan said.

"Wait, how will you get there?" Troy asked.

"I'll catch a cab." Ryan said.

"Ok bro, I'll catch you later, if anything happens with Gabbi, call me, YOU HEAR?" Troy asked.

"Yes yes, I promise." Ryan said.

"Ok, I'm gonna trust you Ryan." Troy said.

Ryan nodded and walked away.

Troy stumbled into his bedroom, where his nostrils were once again filled with the familiar scent of home...and Gabriella.

He stumbled up to his bed and colapsed into it, not even bothring to change into his sleeping cloths...which were boxers, but at this point, he was to tired to even pull his shirt over his head.

After about just a minute, he was dead...asleep.(did that kind of scare you?lol)

**Eleven hours later**

RING RING RING!

Troy moaned and shoved a pillow over his face, but suddenly he remembered Ryan's promise.

"Oh crap." He groaned, as he snatched the phone.

"Hello?" He said.

"Troy?" Taylor's voice said.

"Oh...hey, IS GABBI OK?" He asked.

"She's still the same, the family with the dying patient refused to donate." Taylor said.

Troy cursed under his breath.

"I...I'm sorry." She said.

"It's ok, like I said, if worse comes to worse, she gets mine." He said.

"Troy you can't..." She started, but he cut her off,"Well I'm gonna take a shower, and get dressed."

"Ok, we'll wait for you." Taylor said.

Troy hung the phone up.

Suddenly he started counting.

"So that was two days ago...and they said three...OH MY GOD!" He said.

"She needs that lung tommorow." Troy said, looking down.

Ha ha, cliffie, sorry, yeah I'm a jerk, but I had to do it, this was kind of that comical relief chapter, it was kind of short cause I really only want this to be drama, but yeah, there will be three more chapters, so REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


	6. A call from God, a trip to hell

Well is Gabbi gonna get that lung, is Troy gonna live, is Ryan actually gay?All these and moe answed in...the next two chapters.

Troy jumped out off bed, he took hot shower and and picked out some fresh cloths, he did'nt bother to eat, in the last three days, Troy has lost about ten pounds from not eating.

He grabbed his keys off the table and walked to his car, he was at a red light when his phone went off.

"Hello?" Troy said.

"Hello Troy." Said a strange voice.

"Ummm, who is this?" Troy asked.

"This is God." The voice said.

"Seriously, I'm not in the mood, who is this?" Troy asked.

"1721." The voice said.

"What's that?" Troy asked.

"The Devil's adress, at these numbers you will find Gabriella's attacker." And with that, he hung up.

"WHAT, HELLO HELLO!" Troy shouted, but they were long gone.

He speed to the hospital.

Chad was outside smoking when Troy ran up to him.

"Hey Troy, Gabbi..." He started, but Troy cut him off,"I KNOW WHERE C.J IS!"

"WHAT?" Chad shouted.

"Let's go get him." Chad said.

"It's not easy, we need more than just me and you." Troy said.

"Fine, we'll take Ryan." Chad said.

"But...he's...Ryan...Evans, Ryan dancing, smiling, gay Evans." Troy said.

"Yeah, but he'll come in handy...I hope." Chad said.

"What about..." Troy started, but Chad cut him off,"9mm, had it since the seventh grade, we can pick up two more and some ammo, the cops are'nt gonna do a damn thing so it's up to us, go round up Evans, I'll get the truck ready."(In case you don't know a 9mm's a handgun.)

"Chad wait." Troy said.

"Yeah." Chad asked.

"You do realize...one, two, or all of could die." Troy said.

Chad looked him square in the eye and said,"There's a innocent little girl in there suffering because of a damn basketball game, you think I'm gonna let death stand in the way of what I know is right in my heart?"

"Chad...thank you." Troy said, sticking his hand out.

Chad shook it and pulled him in a hug.

"Ey, for Gabbi." He said.

Troy nodded.

"For Gabbi." He said

"ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS!" Chad shouted, clapping his hands.

Troy sighed and walked in the hospital, he walked in the elevator and pressed the six floor button.

"TROY!" Taylor said, throwing her arms around him.

"H..hey Tay." Troy said sadly.

"Gabbi's been dying to see you." She said.

"Is she awake?" He asked.

"No, but earlier, she squeezed Miss Montez's hand." She said.

Troy nodded.

"Where's Chad?" She asked.

"Follow me." Troy said taking her wrist and leading her in the ICU waiting room.

"TROY!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Hey guys." Troy said.

"Guys I need to talk to you." He said.

Everyone figured it was about the lung donation.

"Guys...ummm, wait, Ryan can I talk to you?" He asked.

Ryan looked at Sharpay confused and nodded.

He walked out of the room with Troy.

"Ryan, listen I know where Gabbi's attackers are." Troy said.

"That's great!" Ryan said.

"And Chad, you and me are going to take care of them." He said.

"Ohhhh, that's not great." Ryan said.

"You don't have to go." Troy said.

Ryan looked down.

"I...I'm just scared Troy, if they'll do that to Gabriella, can you imagine what they'll do to us?" He asked.

"I don't care, if you don't want to go, you don't have to, but me and Chad are, goodbye Ryan." Troy said walking into the ICU room.

He walked straight in Gabriella's room, where Miss Montez was.

"Oh, Troy your back." Miss Montez said, hugging him.

"Hey." Troy said, hugging her back.

"I'll leave you alone to talk with Gabbi." She said.

Troy nodded.

"Hey baby girl." He said, taking her hand.

"Baby...I love you." He said kissing her hand.

"I...I'm gonna go take care of the trash that did this to you."

"I...I might not come back."A single tear making it's way down his cheek.

"I'm sorry if I'm not here to see you wake up baby, but everything I did, I did for you."

He brushed his tear away, leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I love you Gabriella Montez." He said, as he stood up and brushed some hair out of her face and sadly walked away.

"Troy, we're soo glad to see you." Miss Montez said.

"You guys...I know who attacked Gabbi." He said.

Everyone gasped.

"And..I'm going to take care of him, me and Chad." Troy said.

"YOU CAN'T!" Taylor exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I have to." He said.

"T...Troy, you'll die, who knows what this monster can do?" Miss Montez said.

"If I live, Gabbi's avenged, I come back, she gets my lung and lives, if I die, she get's my lung and still lives, we can't lose." He said.

"Y...yes we can, we can lose you, and Chad." Taylor said eyes full of tears.

"Troy please let the cops handle this one." Sharpay pleaded, but Troy shook his head.

"I...I love you guys...Taylor, Chad said he'll call you, I've got to go, if I don't make it back, tell Gabbi I said I love her." He said.

"D...don't do this, PLEASE!" Taylor pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

"I...I'm sorry, good bye, I love you guys." He said walked out of the room.

"DON'T GO, PLEASE!" Taylor screamed.

"TROY!" Miss Montez shouted.

Troy closed his eyes and stepped in the elevator.

It made it to the lobby, he walked out of the hospital and up to Chad's awaiting truck.

"Hop in." Chad said.

Troy climbed in the truck, Chad was pulling out of the parking lot when suddenly, something hit the side of his truck.

Chad stopped and Troy opened the door only to find Ryan.

"Move over, I'm going." He said.

"Alright man." Chad said, high fiving him.

Ryan forced a smiled, but Troy could tell he was scared, very scared.

They drove to Chad's house and he got his gun, afterwards they went to a pawnshop and bought two more handguns for Troy and Ryan.

"Ok, where too?" Chad asked.

"1721." Troy said.

"W...what did you say?" Chad asked, turning pale, slamming on the brakes.

"1721." Troy said.

"Oh my God." Chad said.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"T...that's the adress of the building my mom was...gunned down in front of." Chad said.

Troy turned white.

"Oh...my God." Troy said.

"These bastards killed my mom, and hurt Gabbi." Chad said, shaking now.

He stomped on the gas pedal.

Ryan and Troy both slammed against the back of their seats as Chad speed to the house.

"That's it, slow down!" Troy said.

Chad gritted his teeth and plowed through the front doors.

It was'nt like a house, it was like an old appartment buliding, there were about ten stories to it, and Chad had just plowed through the front of the buliding.

"COUGH COUGH, Oh...damn...Chad...Ryan, you guys ok?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ryan said.

Chad opened his door and stepped out, he had already ran over someone.

"Dude, what if..." Troy started, but Chad cut him off,"NOPE, look at that, gang colors."

"Oh." Troy said.

"So a gang did this?" Ryan asked.

Chad nodded.

"You might want to take out that gun know, and repent for any sins you've commited in your life." Chad said.

Ryan shivered when he said this.

Troy and Ryan both pulled out their guns and Chad approached the doors to another room.

"You dawg what da hell was dat?" A voice said on the other side of the room.

Chad nodded, he signaled one...two...THREE!

He threw the doors open and Troy and Chad opened fire.

"OH HELL!" One of the men sitting in the room said, two guys fell over and another two jumped behind a couch.

Troy, Chad, and Ryan jumped behind the doorframe.

"RYAN WHY DID'NT YOU SHOOT?" Troy yelled.

"I...I paniced." Ryan said.

"NO, your a FAG!" Chad shouted, returning fire to the shooting gunmen.

"OH DAMN FOOL, I'M BLEEDIN!" One of the men shouted.

Troy rushed in the room and opened fire on the other man, he did'nt kill him, but he got him in the stomach.

He fell over, and Chad and Ryan rushed in.

"Dude awsome." Chad said. patting Troy on the back.

"No, it is'nt we're hurting people, we're killing them, this is'nt a game." Troy said.

Chad sighed and looked down.

"Yeah, and this prick is'nt gonna do a damn thing." Chad said.

"I'm trying!" Ryan said.

"...Tryin what, to be gay, if so your doin a damn fine job!" Chad said.

Ryan gritted his teeth and suddenly he pointed his gun at Chad.

"Ryan...come on." Troy said, turning white, he had never seen Ryan like this before.

"What ya gonna do with that besides piss me off?" Chad asked.

Ryan squeezed his eyes shut, he turned around, screamed, and shot a gunman who had snuck in the room and was about to shoot Troy.

He unloaded a whole clip in him before throwing the gun down and punching the wall.

Troy looked at Chad, his eyes huge.

"Damn, not bad Evans." Chad said.

"C...come on Ryan." Troy said.

Ryan picked up his gun and loaded it with a fresh clip.

"Ok, look, there are ten floors, C.J could be on anyone, so just shoot everyone untill..." Chad started, but Troy cut him off,"Oh no, I remember his face, I'll take care of him, you two just stay behind me, and if I go down get outta there."

"We can't just leave you." Chad said.

Ryan nodded.

"If I go down, you run or the last thing I do will be to shoot the both of you." He said.

They nodded slowly, but neither of them had intentions on leaving Troy to die.

Troy opened the doors, bullets came flying at them the all once again ducked behind a door away.

Chad shot back, but missed everytime, but Troy managed to hit one of the men.

Ryan tried to shot this time but missed terribly.

Chad and Troy took out the last three after a few minutes, they walked into the room and made it to the second floor.

They were halfway up the stairs when a gunman appeard at the top of the stairs and opened fire.

"MOVE!" Chad shouted, shoving Ryan out of the way, getting hit directly in the shoulder.

Troy shot the gunman right in the throat.

"Ahhhh." Chad said, clutching his shoulder and leaning up against the wall.

"Are..you ok?" Ryan asked, trembling.

Chad slapped him, hard.

"YOU FREAKIN IDIOT, DO I LOOK OK!" He shouted.

Ryan rubbed his cheek, but excused this, since it was sort of his fault Chad was shot.

"Chad...damn, we need to go." Troy said, trying to help Chad, but he shoved him away.

"NO, we came here for one reason, and I ain't leaving untill C.J burns." Chad said, slumping up against the wall.

Ryan took his jacket off and tried to hand it to Chad, to help the bleeding, but chad stared at him through narrow eyes, he looked at the jacket, and said,"I'd rather bleed to death." And walked away.

Ryan looked down, and put his jacket back on.

Chad stumbled along the wall, a few tears making their way down his cheek, he did'nt understand how anyone could say that getting shot did'nt hurt, because it did...alot.

Troy put his hand on Chad's shoulder and looked at him reassuringly.

Chad nodded and kept walking up the stairs.

They approached the third floor.

No body was there, in fact the next three levels were empty.

"Must be gathering at the top." Chad said.

Troy nodded and Ryan gulped.

The arrived on the eighth floor to find a good thirty gunmen waiting for them

Troy shoved Chad and Ryan in front a flipped over table, while he jumped behind a recliner.

"TROY!" Chad shouted as the recliner shredded under a hail of bullets.

Troy screamed as a bullet tore through his shoulder, then another through his thigh.

He fell over, still clutching his arm.

Chad stared in horror as his best friend lay on the floor, two small puddles of blood forming under him.

"Is he dead?" One of the gunmenm asked, they had forgotten all about Ryan and Chad.

Suddenly, when two of them approached Troy, Chad shot one in the back, the other in the knee, then side.

Ryan jumped up out of nowhere and took out eight gunmen with eight bullets.

"Damn Ryan." Chad said.

Suddenly Ryan's eyes grew huge.

"Gimme your gun." He said.

"No way." Chad said.

"GIMME THE GUN!" Ryan shouted.

Chad slowly handed him his gun, Ryan quickly reloaded his.

Suddenly, Ryan rolled to the right of the table, Chad looked away as bullets rained at Ryan.

"YOU IDIOT!" Chad screamed at him, without looking, he did'nt want to see his body.

After a few seconds the gunshots stopped.

Chad slowly looked over.

Ryan was still crouched, guns smoking, Ryan had shot everyone of the gunmen.

Chad's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"R..Ryan, dude, you like...freakin...Robocop." Chad said.(don't own.)

Ryan slowly stood up and handed Chad his gun back.

Chad took it and nodded, suddenly he jumped up, and ran over to Troy.

"Troy, oh man, don't be dead." Chad said, rolling him over.

Troy was shot in the shoulder, thigh, and right under his elbow.

"Oh damn." Chad said, trying to think of a way to help his help his friend.

Suddenly Troy shot up.

"AGHHHH, NOOOOOO, GABBI!" Troy shouted.

"Calm down, calm down, it's gonna be ok." Chad said.

"Get away from me." Troy said, shoving him away, trying desperately to stand, but he fell everytime.

"Let me help you!" Chad said, but Troy refused, amazingly, Troy pulled himself up, stumbling through the room.

"Come on Troy, you need help." Ryan said.

"I...need...C...J." Troy slurred, a small trail of blood growing behind him with each crooked step.

Troy shoved the door open to the second floor, and fell forward.

Chad rushed up to him, and helped him back up, Troy not arguing this time.

"Troy, we're on the ninth floor." Chad said.

Troy hung his head and coughed a little.

"Where's C.J?" He whispered.

"I...I don't know." Chad said.

Suddenly a chunk of wall next to them blew away.

Chad pulled Troy into cover and Ryan jumped in his own.

"Ya'll's gonna die!" Someone shouted.

Chad tried to shoot at him, but his arm was messed up.

"Ryan you gotta take him out!" Chad said, another chunk of wall near Chad's head exploding.

Ryan tried to shoot, but suddenly his vision blurred, he started to sweat, his hand began to tremble.

"SHOOT!" Chad shouted.

Ryan dropped his gun and fell to his knees, covering his head with his hands.

The guman raised his gun.

_**SLOWMOTION**_

Shows Ryan on his knees, Chad darts off towards him.

The gunman pumps the gun.

Chad leaps for Ryan.

The gunman pulles the trigger.

Chad was an inch away when the shot went off.

Ryan's pupils dilate as the gunshot echoes through his ears.

Chad's hand shoves Ryan's shoulder as the bullets come flying at them.

_**END SLOW MONTION**_

Everyting suddenly snapped back to reality, Ryan and Chad both fell on the floor, with his last once of strength, Troy pulled himself up and shot the gunman.

Ryan sat up.

"Ugh...Chad..CHAD!" Ryan said, rolling him over.

Chad was'nt moving.

"Oh my God he's dead." Ryan said.

Suddenly Chad's hand wrapped around Ryan's throat, Chad grunted as he sat up and pulled Ryan's face to his.

"If you ever...EVER hesitate again, I'll shoot you myself." He said, through gritted teeth.

Ryan nodded slowly, fear is his eyes.

Chad released his grip on his throat and Ryan gasped for air.

"On hell, Troy." Chad said, crawling up to him.

Troy looked at him,"I...I'm so tired...I...I can't do this anymore."

"Come on Troy, we need to go, we'll get you help." Chad said.

Suddenly a laugh could be heard from another room.

Ryan and Chad looked over, Troy did also, but much slower than the other two.

"I'm waitin Troy." The voice said.

Troy's eyes grew huge.

"That's C.J!" He said, starting to stir again.

"No, Troy, stay down your in bad enough shape already." Chad said, but Troy, once again, drug himself up.

"I'm commin for ya!" Troy said, stumbling towards the doors.

"It could be a trick." Ryan said.

"Shut up Ryan, Troy, really, let's think about..." Chad started, but Troy cut him off,"I'M DONE THINKING, IF I'M GOING DOWN, I'M GOING DOWN SHOOTING!" With that he shoved the doors open.

No gun shot's...nothing, it was a regular room, like a bedroom, there was a big screen, a bed, a fish tank, a couch, a fridge, even a propane grill.

Troy slumped in the doorway.

"Welcome my man." The voice said.

C.J stepped in front of Troy.

"Look at you, all dressed up for are big date, are you handsome?" C.J said, mocking Gabriella.

Troy spat in his face.

C.J, looked down, he brushed the bloddy spit off his shirt and looked up.

"Aight, I see, ok, tell you what, fair game, me, you, no guns, no knifes, bare knuckle." He said.

Troy looked at Chad and Ryan, who were both ready to shoot, but Troy shook his head.

"Fine." He grunted, stepping in the room.

"TROY NO!" Ryan shouted, but C.J, slammed the doors and locked them.

"Aight, you ready?" C.J asked, taking his shirt off, and cracking his knuckles.

Troy nodded incoherantly, bearly able to raise his fist.

C.J jumped all around him, toying with him, he even gave Troy a free shot, but he he took it, C.J jumped aside and kicked him in the back.

Troy fell forward, gritting his teeth.

C.J kicked him in the ribs repeatedly, as he did Gabriella when he attacked her.

Troy lay on the floor, blood poring from his mouth.

"Oh, look at dis, the Wildcat ain't so tough now, are ya?" He asked.

He yanked Troy up and puched him in the face, Troy stumbled backwards and fell on a table.

"Yeah, maybe you can give yo bitch a goodbye kiss when you see her in hell...in a few seconds." C.J said.

Troy suddenly sat up, C.J had his back turned, trusting Troy to be unable to move.

"Rule number one, neva mess wit a gangsta." C.J said.

Troy folded up a steel chair at the table he was laying on.

"Rule two, never turn your back in a fight." Troy said, smashing the chair over C.J's back.

C.J fell over in sheer pain.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Troy screamed as he hit him over and over with the chair untill it was literally folded in half.

C.J was on the floor, arm broken, ribs cracked.

Troy drug him to his feet.

"THIS, IS FOR MISS DANFORTH!" He said, puching C.J in the face.

"THIS IS FOR HAVING YOUR FRIENDS SHOOT MY FRIENDS!" Troy shouted, punching him again.

C.J was in front of the huge fish tank.

"AND THIS, IS FOR MY BABY GIRL!" Troy shouted, puching C.J with every once of his strength.

C.J fell back in the fish tank, it shattered around him as he fell in a pool of blood, glass, and water.

Troy fell backwards.

"Open the door!" Chad shouted on the other side.

"MOVE!" Ryan said, shooting the lock.

Chad and Ryan both managed to shove the door open.

They both ran up to Troy.

Chad picked Troy's head up.

"Oh man you whipped his ass." Chad said.

Ryan smiled weakly and nodded.

"I...I need to go to the hospital." Troy whispered.

"I know, you need help." Chad said.

"N...no, I need to get to Gabbi, she needs me." Troy said.

Chad looked at Ryan and nodded.

They both helped Troy to his feet.

**MEANWHILE**

Taylor sat in her seat, still crying from Troy and Chad leaving.

"I...I'm sure their ok." Miss Montez said brushing a few tears away.

"What about Ryan?" Sharpay asked."Did he go with them?"

Taylor shrugged.

Suddenly a loud beep could be heard coming from Gabriella's room...

**Back at the building**

Chad help Troy maintain he balance as Ryan dug around for something to help Troy's bleeding.

Chad was so busy helping Troy that he never noticed C.J stand up, gun in hand.

"EY, go...to...hell." C.J said, pulling the trigger, and falling back, dead this time.

Troy's, Chad's, and Ryan's eyes all grew huge as the gun shot echoed throughout the room, followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor.

Who got shot, and what's happening to Gabbi? Review to find out.


	7. Gabriella's Guardian Angel

Ok, two chaps left untill we put this fic to rest, but who else is going down beside it?

Miss Montez cried uncontrollably as doctors and nurses rushed in Gabriella's room, where a loud beep was coming from.

"What's going on?" Sharpay asked.

"It's that noise from the other day, she's...she's flatlining." Taylor said.

"M...maybe it's a mistake...maybe..." Miss Montez started, but she could'nt finish, she colapsed in Taylor shoulder, crying.

The beeping went on for about two minutes before it went away, all the girls hudled together, crying.

The doctor walked out of the room sadly and pulled his mask off, he thought for a second and slowly approached the girls.

"I...I'm sorry but, she's gone, her body just could'nt hold out, I'm so so sorry, we did out best." He said.

Miss Montez's world came crashing down in front of her face, Gabbi...not her Gabbi, she was so young, but either way...

Gabriella Montez was dead.

**MEANWHILE**

_Troy's, Chad's, and Ryan's eyes all grew huge as the gun shot echoed throughout the room, followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor._

Troy and Chad stared in shock as C.J pulled the trigger, the bullet was flying straight for them when sudddenly...

**30 seconds before **

Ryan looked up at the ceiling, tears in his eyes, he should be happy, Troy was ok, C.J was dead, but he knew what had to be done, either way, he had known what had to be done since day one, since the moment he held Gabriella's broken body in his arms, he knew what had to be done.

He looked over just in time to see C.J stand up, and pull the trigger.

**Present time**

Troy and Chad stared in shock as C.J pulled the trigger, the bullet was flying straight for them when sudddenly Ryan shoved Chad into Troy causing them both to fall, the second he did, the bullet tore through his side as C.J collapsed on the ground, dead.

"RYAN!" Troy screamed as the blonde fell before him.

Chad pulled Ryan to them, he was bleeding fron his side, a small trail of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

"Why'd you do that Ryan?" Troy asked, tears in his eyes.

"That was'nt for you." Ryan whispered.

"Then why'd you do it?" Chad asked.

"It was'nt for you either." He said.

Suddenly Chad sniffed,"Oh my God, there a gas leak or something, we must have shot something, we need to go, like now." Chad said, pulling himself up.

He helped Troy to his feet.

"What are we gonna..." Chad started, but somehow, Troy actually picked Ryan up.

"Let me..." Chad started, once more, but Troy shook his head and stumbled out of the room.

Chad tried to help, but Troy refused.

They were on the third floor when the gas reached a lit ciggareet .

The sixth floor exploded in flames as the whole building shook.

"C...Come on." Troy said, still manging to carry Ryan along.

"Let me take him, don't be an idiot, if you don't we're gonna get killed." Chad said.

Troy, who was ready to colapse, handed the unconcious Ryan off to Chad.

They were able to move a bit faster now, but Troy's ribs were in very bad shape, so he was moving pretty slow.

They were on the second floor when the building began to colapse.

"COME ON!" Chad shouted as pieces of the ceiling rainied down on them, smoke dancing around the room, filling their lungs.

The sirens could be heard outside as they stumbled through the first floor.

"HEY WE GOT TWO...THREE IN HERE!" A firefighter shouted as he helped Troy, Chad and Ryan out of the burning buliding.

"Here." The firefighter said, handing Troy and Chad oxygen masks as paramedics tended to Ryan.

"They got him pretty bad, he took in a lot of smoke, and he's shot." The paramedic told Troy and Chad.

"Yeah, they got us too." Chad said, showing his shoulder and Troy's wounds.

The paremedics helped them onto a ambulance, but Troy still refused to recieve any help, he shoved everyone away and stumbled up to Ryan.

"R...Ryan...why did you do that?" He asked.

Ryan looked at Troy through narrow eyes, blood streaming from his mouth.

"It...it was for...for Gabriella." He whispered, grabbing Troy's sleve.

"What?" Troy asked.

"P...pocket..." Ryan said.

Troy reached in Ryan's pocket and found a folded up piece of paper.

He unfolded it, his eyes grew huge, and the tears began to flow when he read it...

It was an organ donor form.

"W...what did you do this for, I told you she was gonna get mine." Troy said.

"S...she...needs you Troy...if you die, she can't make it without you...you need to live, but me, there's no...nobody who'll miss me." Ryan said, a few tears streaming down his face now.

"What about Sharpay?" Troy asked.

"She...she's got Zeke, but...tell her I'm sorry, tell her I love her." Ryan said, laying his head back.

"Don't...don't talk like that, your gonna make it, she's gonna get my lung." Troy said.

Ryan shook his head.

"Tell Gabbi I'm sorry I could'nt be..there to see her wake up...goodbye Troy." Ryan said, his hand fell off Troy's sleve.

**MEANWHILE**

**About a minute before Ryan's death**

"C...can I see her one more time?" Sharpay asked the doctor.

He nodded and opened the door.

Sharpay walked in the room, trembling, she had never seen a dead body before.

Gabriella looked the same, but she was'nt breathing anymore, and the room was totally quiet.

Sharpay reached out and took Gabriella's hand in hers.

She searched for words but none came to mind, she pressed Gabriella cold hand to her forehead and cried.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could choke out.

_"Tell Gabbi I'm sorry I could'nt be..there to see her wake up...goodbye Troy." Ryan said, his hand fell off Troy's sleve._

Suddenly Sharpay jumped up, she felt as if a bolt of electricity had just shot through her and Gabriella's hands.

_Beep. _

Sharpay looked around, that was the strangest thing.

_Beep. _

She brushed her tears away and looked at her hand.

_Beep. _

Suddenly she just realized, Gabriella had a pulse!

"DOCTOR!" Sharpay screamed, running out of the room.

**MEANWHILE**

The paramedics checked Ryam they tried, but he was gone.

Troy sat next to Ryan, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." A paramedic said, patting Troy's back.

"I can't belive he's gone." Chad said,"After all the things I said, after all the times I messed with him, I can't even say I'm sorry."

Troy shook his head sadly and stood up.

Chad ruffled Ryan's hair,"I'm sorry for all the times I messed with you, I never meant it."

He brushed a tear away and sat back down to allow the paramedics to take care of his arm.

**MEANWHILE**

"Never in the seven years I've been a doctor has anything like this happened." The doctor said.

"Is she gonna be ok now?" Miss Montez asked.

"No, far from it, although she's breathing again, the machine is doing the work now, she was only breathing on her own for a few seconds." The doctor said.

Miss Montez looked down.

"If she does'nt get that lung in an hour, then she'll die,errr, die for, umm, good this time." The doctor said.

Miss Montez burst out crying again.

"Where are you Troy?" Sharpay said.

**MEANWHILE**

"NOOO, I NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL!" Troy shouted at one of the paramedics.

"Sir, pleae calm down, we're our way." The paramedic said.

After about ten minutes, they pulled into the hospital.

They tried to unload Troy on a strecher, but he somehow undid the straps that were holding him on, he rolled off and stumbled into the hospital, the parademdics close behind.

He nearly punched one of them in an attempt to keep them away.

"Sir you need help." They kept saying but he made it to the elevator and stumbled in, keeping the hospital personale out.

**MEANWHILE, IN THE ICU ROOM **

"Well it's been an hour, I'm sorry but there's nothing more we can do for her, if we pull the plug now, it will save her from so much pain, the choice is yours." The doctor told Miss Montez, handing her a clipboard.

She took it with trembling hands and read the release form.

"I...I don't know, I don't want her to suffer." She said.

"Don't let them kill her, please." Taylor pleaded.

Miss Montez stared at the form, tears staining the paper as they dripped from her face.

Sharpay sat next to her,"Don't let them do it, say no, Troy will come through I know he will."

"I understand what your saying, but the chances of him coming now are slim to none." The doctor said.

Miss Montez walked into Gabriella's room and sat next to her daughter.

"Angel, they want me to let you go." She said.

"Do you want to die?" She asked.

Nothing.

Miss Montez looked at her face, how sad she looked, even unconscious she looked to be in terrible pain.

"I...I'm...I'm gonna let them set you free angel, I can't take seeing you in so much pain anymore...I..." She could'nt finish, she buried her face in Gabriella's bed sheets and cried.

After a few minutes she finally looked up.

"I love you, your my little girl and you always will be, I'll see you one day, I love you sweetheart." Miss Montez said, kissing her forehead.

She signed the paper and kissed Gabriella again.

"I'm gonna miss you baby, go in peace angel." She said walking out of the room.

She handed the doctor the clipboard and colapsed in a chair crying.

"Miss Montez...YOU DID'NT?" Taylor said.

"Please don't kill her, please don't." Sharpay pleaded, at the doctors feet, but he took a deep breath and walked in Gabriella's room.

"I'm sorry Gabriella, go with God." He said.

He began to turn a knob, when suddenly...

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Troy screamed, crashing through the doors.

"T..Troy?" Taylor said, looking at the bloody boy.

He colapsed on the floor.

"Troy, oh my God!" Sharpay said.

The doctor walked back in the room.

"Oh my goodness, what happened?" He asked.

"Please don't kill her, please don't kill her." Troy pleaded, tears streaming down his face.

The doctor looked around,"I'm sorry, the only way to save her is if you have a donor, at this very moment."

"We..we do." Troy said.

"TROY NO!" Everyone said in unision.

"It...it' not me." Troy said, a few more tears escaping.

"Then who?" The doctor asked, a few nurses trying to help Troy.

"H...here." Troy said, with his last once of strength, he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, and passed out.

The doctor read it.

"Ah yes." He said sadly.

"What?" Miss Montez asked.

"Which one of you is Sharpay?" He asked.

"M...me." She said.

"You might want to sit down." He said.

"The lung donor is recently deceased...Ryan Evans." He said.

Sharpay fell out of her chair.

"N...no...not my Ryan...NOT MY RYAN!" She said, curling up in a little ball on the floor.

Taylor rushed up to her and picked her up in a tight hug.

"Not my Ryan, not my Ryan." She said over and over.

Taylor rocked her as the doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Well we'll need you to sign a new document, we'll begin the operation as soon as we get the lung, but it's still a fifty fifty thing." He said.

Miss Montez signed the other document.

**Six hours later...**

Troy's eyes shot open.

"GABBI!" He said, looking around frantically, he was in a hospital room.

"Shhhhh, calm down it's alright." Taylor said, who was sitting next to him.

"Wh...what happened?" He asked.

"They opereated on you, me, and Gabriella." Chad said, a cast on his arm.

"Where's Gabbi?" He asked.

Chad and Taylor looked down.

"WELL?" He shouted, tears filling his eyes.

He jumped out of his bed, pulling all sorts of wires and such off himself.

"No, your not pulling this again." Chad said, pulling a wheelchair out from behind the door.

Troy who had a cast on his leg, really had no choice but to sit in the chair.

The wheeled him to her room.

"Troy, you need to remember that the doctor did say that this was a fifty fifty thing, so it was'nt his fault." Taylor said.

Troy looked down.

The opened the door slowly, Miss Montez and Sharpay were sitting next to Gabriella.

"I...really...t...t...tried." Troy said, tears rolling down his bruised cheeks.

"And you succeeded." Someone whispered, someone Troy has'nt heard in about...six days.

"G...G...Gabriella?" He said looking up.

She was laying in her bed, for the first time in six days her eyes were open.

Troy actually jumped out of the wheelchair and walked up to her.

He kissed her softly, a whole new set of tears emerging, but these for a different reason.

"Don't ever leave me." He said, buring his face in her shoulder.

"I...I won't." She said, wrapping and arm around him as he cried into her shoulder.

Everyone else in the room was also crying.

"I love you baby girl." Troy said, kissing her forehead softly.

"I love you too." She whispered.

Troy looked at her, she was very tired looking.

"How long has she been up?" He asked.

"About twenty minutes, it's her first time." Miss Montez said, smiling at Gabriella.

"Get some rest angel." Troy said, kissing her once more.

She nodded and smiled weakly.

After a few minutes she was asleep.

The doctor walked in and smiled.

"Well, it's nothing short of a miracle that she's alive right now, like I said, this is the strangest case I've ever had, it's as it were a movie, but she will require extensive rehab, for at least six months, everything should work out though." The doctor said.

Everyone nodded.

Troy looked at Sharpay, she was still crying.

He hugged her.

"Your brother was Gabriella's guardian angel." He said.

"I know, he kept telling me that he knew what had to be done, he kept telling me he loved me." She said.

"He loves you very much, it's thanks to him that she's ok right now." Troy said.

"I...I'm know, but I'm gonna miss him." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I know, we all are." Troy said, hugging her tightly.

Well well well, who saw that coming, not me, but seriously, I wanted to see if I could take a backgrond chacter and make him a hero, I think I did. What do you think, the last chapter covers Gabbi's rehab and how everyone else, Kelsi, Zeke, Jason, etc. take Ryan's sacrifice, and it covers what the school does in his honor and such, so REVIEW!


	8. Where's Ryan?

It had been 1 week since Gabriella's sucessfull operation, Ryan's funeral was in two days, Gabriella was still hospitalized, she would be for another two weeks, Troy was still in a cast, but he never left her side, not once, even when he was in pain, he made sure that she was ok at all times.

Well right now, it was currently 9:47 P.M, Miss Montez left Troy and Gabriella sleeping.

Gabriella was in her bed and Troy was in a chair next to her, his hand clasped in hers as they both slept.

Every now and then Gabriella would awake, either due to the pain of her ribs, or the sound of a machine.

Well she was shifting slight when she heard something.

She looked over only to find Troy whimpering in his sleep.

She rubbed her eyes, and looked over.

Troy was asleep next to her, but he was crying out in his slumber.

"No...don't...Ryan." He mumbled.

"Troy." She whispered, shaking him gently.

"No...don't...go..." He moaned.

"Troy, wake up." She said shaking him now.

"Ugh...Gab...Gabriella...oh my God, are you ok, do you need the nurse?" He asked frantically.

"No no, I'm fine, I'm fine, but your not." She said, stroking his cheek.

"I'm ok baby, if your ok, then I'm ok." He said, taking her hand from his face and kissing it softly.

"Troy..can I ask you something?" She asked.

"Anything." He said.

"Well, why was everyone crying when I woke up for the first time?" She asked.

"We were crying cause we were happy, you had us all so scared, I really thought I was going to lose you baby girl, we all did." He said.

"No, I know you were happy, but you were also sad crying, and Sharpay's still crying, why?" She asked.

Troy's calm expression morphed into one of shock and horror.

Suddenly Gabriella looked down and thought for a minute,"And...where's Ryan, I have'nt seen him yet, I actually miss him, and you we're crying in your sleep, something about Ryan, did you two get in a fight or something?"

Troy took a deep breath, trying to think of the proper way to adress this.

He slowly stood up and sat next to her.

He carefully picked her up and took her in his arms.

She snuggled into him as he shifted a little.

"Gabbi, do you remember what happened?" He asked.

"I remember getting hit, and then everything was black...then while everything was black I heard you voice, and my mom's, and Sharpay, and Taylor's, and Chad's and Ryan's and one's I don't know who's they were, then their was a bright light, and I went to it, but then the bright light turned blue..and I saw someone..." She stuggled to remember.

"I...I don't know who it was, but it was a he, and he told me to go back, go back to you, then everything went black again, then I woke up." She said.

Troy smiled weakly,"That's right, you went out to see a movie, alone, we had been arguing..." Troy stuggled to maintain composure,"And...someone attacked you, and you were on life support, and...you needed a lung."

"Oh." She quietly replied.

"Well I as gonna give you mine, but then...I found out who hurt you, so I rounded up Chad...and Ryan...and we went to go take care of them." He said.

Gabriella let out a small gasp,"What did you do, you did'nt kill him?"

Troy nodded,"Yes baby, I killed him and I killed alot of other bad people, people who hurt other people."

"Oh, so how did I get my lung, from one of them?" She asked.

Troy shook his head, a single tear rolled down his cheek,"Gabriella...Ryan..." He started, but she cut him off,"Oh I remember who I saw now, in my dream, it was Ryan, he told me to come back, is'nt that weird?"

Troy looked down, tear flowing at a steady rate.

"Troy." She whispered, turning around,"Why are you crying?"

He shook his head and looked down.

"Please tell me." She pleaded.

"Please." She said, a few tears begining to form in her own eyes.

"I hate to see you cry." She said, brushing his tears away.

"Gabriella...Ryan...he...he loved you a whole lot, a whole lot more than you could have ever imagined." He said.

"Could have?" She asked confused.

Troy nodded,"He...he..." He could'nt finish, he looked down.

"Troy, Ryan's not ok, is he?" She asked.

"No baby, he's not." Troy said crying now.

"Ryan's not ok, because of me?" She asked.

"No, no, this had nothing to do with you angel, don't ever think that." He said.

"Where is he?" She asked.

Troy did'nt answer.

"Is he gonna come see me?" She asked.

Once more Troy did'nt answer.

"Ryan's not gonna come see me, well can I go see him?" She asked.

Troy looked at her.

"Baby, Ryan did something, something that nobody wanted him to do, but he did it anyways, he did it for you, I tried to stop him, but he would'nt hear of it." Troy said.

Gabriella looked down,"He's gone, is'nt he?"

Troy hugged her tight.

"Why did he die?" She asked, tears streaming down her face.

"He did it for you, you were gonna die, you needed a lung, and Chad was gonna get shot, Ryan pushed him out of the way and saved you both." He said.

Gabriella hugged Troy's arm tightly and cried, Troy rocked her.

"It ok, he's ok now, he's in a better place." He said

"No it's not, no it's not, he's gone because of me." She sobbed.

"No he is'nt." Troy said.

"Yes he is, Sharpay hates me now, everyone does, I'm sorry I did'nt mean for this to happen." She said.

"No, nobody hates you, we all love you Gabbi, so does Sharpay." He said.

Gabriella continued to cry as Troy continiued to rock her.

After about ten minutes, Gabriella was fast asleep, but Troy continued to rock her.

He brushed the remaining tears off her cheeks and kissed her forhead.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in all this baby." He whispered.

Gabriella snuggled into Troy's arms which were still wrapped around her.

Meanwhile Sharpay was sitting in her bedroom, alone, staring at a picture of her and Ryan, waiting...for Sunday, the day Ryan was to be layed to rest.

Well this is the last update I'll be able to do for a while, today is the last day of Summer vacation(FCK!), so I won't be able to write as much, but I will write some, but mark my word, I WILL NOT LOSE A CREDIT AND HAVE TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL, So I'll only write on weekends from now, and weekdays when I don't have homework, that goes for all my fics(except It's always Sunny in New Mexico, I swear I can write like 5 chapters in like an hour).


	9. AN: OOC

Ok, someone said that Troy is to ooc(out of character) in this fic. Well I'm not excactly sure if anybody here's ever...oh, I dunno, let's tallly it up,

1.Had the love of your life graping onto life by a f&king thread, and knowing it's all your fault.

2.Been in a shoot out with an entire, really pissed of gang with only two unexperianced friends behind you.

3.Had one of your best friends die in front of you, because of you.

4.You yorself were shot, and your friend was shot.

5.Your responsible for runing some, who you've literally know ALL YOUR LIFE'S, life.

6.And who knows what could still be wrong with your love, will they be able do do everything they could before?

You see I've never _exactly _been in a situation like that, but I'm thinking it, might just alter your personality, just a _tiny, tiny bit_...


	10. Footprints

Today was the day.

Taylor quietly walked into Chad's room.

"Baby, you ready?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Chad sighed and nodded.

"Let's go." She said.

Today was the day that one of their own would be layed to rest.

Troy adjusted his collar and limped downstairs.

He picked up and picture and walked to his car.

Sharpay was curled up on her bed, when a knock came from her door.

She looked over, eyes full of tears.

"It's time to go dear." Her mother said.

Today was the day of Ryan Evan's funeral.

Gabriella lay on her cold hospital bed, after several hours, she convinced her mother to go to Ryan's funeral, for her, it was the very very least she could do.

She curled up with a pillow and cried, cried over a boy she hardly knew, she hardly talked to, a boy that traded it all, just for the good of her, who gave his life out of love for.

"Why did this have to happen?" She whispered to herself.

Today, no body would be there for Gabriella, her mother could'nt be there, to tell her how happt she was to get to talk to her little girl again, Sharpay was'nt there to hug her and promise her she could never hate her, and Troy was'nt there, he was'nt there to scoop her up in his arms and rock her to sleep, or remind her of his overflowing love for her, today, Gabriella was alone...or so she thought.

She gently layed back and cried softly into her pillow, thinking of the times she actually talked to Ryan, it was usually just a "hey" or something simple, but he would always be the first to offer her help, with anything, even if he was unable of doing so he would still offer, even when Sharpay would yell at Gabriella and slap her book out of her hands, Ryan would be the first to pick them up and apologize.

"Gabriella, you dropped this." He would say, smiling politely and handing her a book or jacket or whatever it was she left behind.

Ryan was always peaceful, he was'nt very smart, but he was very kind.

Even when Chad would shove him or call him a name, Ryan would ignore it or just agree with it, which would only set Chad off more.

Gabriella let out a soft yawn.

Her eyes were begining to close, she reached out and pulled a small picture off a shelf, one of her, Troy, Chad, Sharpay, Taylor, and Ryan, when they all went to Paris for last Summer, The Evans paid everyone's way, it was Sharpay's idea actually, but she only did it to make another failed attempt at stealing Troy back.

Gabriella quietly fell asleep, holding the picture close to heart.

**Meanwhile**

Troy quietly sat next to Miss Montez, who greeted him with a warm hug.

"How are you dear?" She asked.

"I...I'm fine Miss Montez, how's Gabbi?" He asked.

"She was doing fine when I left her last night." She quietly replied.

Troy nodded and slowly looked at the front of the chapel, there was a casket.

"I...I just can't do it." He whispered.

"Can't do what?" Miss Montez asked.

"I can't look at him again...I...I just can't." He said.

"It's perfectly ok, that would only upset you more."

Troy nodded sadly, but continued to stare at the casket.

After about an hour of a preacher talking, Mr. and Mrs. Evan's giving their eulogy, it was time for Sharpay, then Ryan would be buried.

Troy looked down, he just could'nt say anything, he really wanted to, but just being here hurt enough all ready.

Sharpay quietly made her way to the podium.

"It...it's not easy to be up here right now so you'll have to excuse me." She said, wiping a tear.

"I remember when Ryan and I were little, about six, we did'nt do anything appart, we...we were always there for each other, but one day, I decided that I would be cool, I would be brave, and go into the woods, near to park where we played." She began.

"Well Ryan had told me not to, but natrually...being Sharpay." She said, trying to lighten the mood a tiny bit,"I just had to go."

"Well I got lost, for almost a day, there were search teams out looking, my parents were worried sick, and...I remember, that was hiding in a old rotten tree, it was pitch black outside, and I had watched way to much Scooby Doo, I was terrified...but I'll never forget, when out of two hundred, full grown men who were searching for me in the middle of the night, a little six year old blonde boy found me."

"And I was so happy to see him, I cried, and he hugged me and told me it was ok, and took me by my hand and led me home, out of those dark woods." She said

"When we got home, my parents could'nt belive that Ryan would sneak out in the middle of the night, and they especially were amazed that he found me."

"But the most amazing thing was that a little six year old, would brave the pitch black woods in the middle of the night, and not only find his sister, but lead her out of those woods."

"And I asked him, why did you do it?"

"And he said because I was his sister, and he loved me."

"And then I asked, well how'd you do it?"

"And he said...the same reason."

"And right now, I know most of you are feeling like your trapped in those dark woods, I know I am."

"But, you don't have to be, don't let's Ryan's death keep you trapped in the dark, let his love guide you home." She said, unable to speak anymore, she handed the mic to the preacher and rushed into her parents arms.

"That was beautiful, it was a true example of love between and brother and sister." The preacher said.

"Now, it is time for..." He began, but suddenly Chad cut him off,"WAIT, I...I have something I want to say."

The preacher nodded, and handed him the mic.

"I...I know I have no right to be up here right know, and I know I'm a complete hippocrate, because I probably gave Ryan a harder time than anyone, but I just have to say..." He struggled to maintain composure,

"I was there, when Ryan passed on, I was there when everything took place."

"I remember, looking up, and staring down the barrel of a gun, I had Troy in one arm and the other was broken I was'nt going anywhere, and as that bang echoed through our ears, I thought, this is it, it's over...I'm gonna die, and probably burn in hell, but as these bullets came straight for me, I remember, something push me, I fell over, and so did Troy...and when I looked up, there was Ryan, and under him was a puddle of blood."

"And we got him the the paramedics, and he could hardly breath, but he told Troy...that he did'nt do this for us, he did it for Gabriella, and it's because Ryan never smoked or drank, that he could give his lungs to that girl, and that's the only reason that's alive right now."

"My only saving grace...is that I know Ryan's at peace now, because I can't imagine a God that would'nt allow someone like Ryan into his kingdom."

"And you can call me the most selfish son of a bitch in the world, but I'd trade everything, to have him back, to tell him I'm sorry." Chad said.

He placed the mic down and attempted to walk to his seat, but Sharpay suddenly jumped in front of him.

"I...I'm so sorry." He whispered.

She stared at him for a few seconds before she did somthing she had never done in her life.

She hugged Chad, as tight as she could, as he cried in her shoulder and repeated himself over and over,"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry."

"I...I can't do this anymore." Troy said, rushing out of the buliding.

He stumbled into the rain and fell to his knees in a puddle of mud, his foot prints visable in it.

"Ryan...is, is this what you wanted?" He asked as the rain poured down on him.

"Everyone to be sad...to be alone?" He asked.

Suddenly a voice rang though his mind.

_"And when you saw only one set of footprints, that is when I carried you."_

The same words rang through Gabriella's, Sharpays, and Chad's ears as thunder rumbled off in the distance.

Reviews would be cool...wait, NO, reviews are mandatory!


	11. AN: Reviews

Hey guys, I just wanted to say the reviews are sort of a let-down. How come I got like 10-20 reviews per chapter a few months ago and now I barely get 4 or 5? That was'nt the end, but it very well can be, I can just delete this whole story. I seriously feel like a jerk for having to demand reviews, but I just want to know what I should fix and change, what you liked, and what I could do to end it. Please tell me what you think of it.


	12. Baby come back to me

Troy pulled himself up from the mud.

He stared at the foorprints for a while, thinking of what just happened.

He looked up slowly.

"I...I have to go...see Gabbi." He mumbled to himself.

He walked to his truck, never looking back once.

He climbed into the cab, soaking it with water nd mud as he did.

He pulled out of the cemetary.

**Meanwhile**

"Gabriella." Someone said, gently tapping her.

"Ugh, T...Troy?" She asked.

"No, it's me." A familiar voice said.

She cracked her eyes open slowly, when she got a glimpse of who it was, her eyes shot open and she jumped away.

"Oh my God...Ryan?" She asked.

"Hey Gabriella, are ya feeling better?" He asked, his usual smile on his face.

"Ryan...you...you can't be here." She said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Why, are visiting hours over?" He asked.

"No, Ryan, your...your dead, today's your funeral." She said.

"I know, but I just wanted to make sure your ok." He said.

She opned her mouth, but was unable to speak, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry, I did'nt mean to upset you, I'll go." He said, turning and walking towards the door.

"No, please, I'm sorry." She said.

Ryan frowned and sat next to her on the bed.

"Why are you so sad?" He asked.

"Because, I did'nt want anyone to get hurt, and you did." She cried.

"Gabriella...err, can I call you Gabbi?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Gabbi, please don't cry over me, I knew what I had to do, I could see it from the start, their are thing about me, things nobody, not even my own sister can understand, my death was destiny, it was either me, or Troy, or Chad, and you hardly knew me as opposed to them." He said.

"That's not true...I...I just want everyone to be ok." She said.

"I know, so do I." He said.

"I wish you we're real." She said.

"I am real." He said.

"No, your just a dream." She said.

"If I were a dream, could I do this?" He asked, brushing her tear away.

She stroked her cheek he had just touched.

She slowly reached out and brushed in cheek.

"My God." She whispered.

"Yeah, he played a pretty important role in all this." Ryan nodded.

"So, are you a ghost?" She asked.

"No, more like a farwell card." He said.

"Please don't leave, stay with me, stay with us, I know I've never told you this, but I love you Ryan, I really do, please don't go." She pleaded.

Ryan sighed and gently took her hand in his.

"I really wish I could stay, I really wish I could stay with you and Sharpay, and everyone else forever, I really do, but I can't, like you said, I'm dead, nothing can or will change that." He said.

Gabriella looked down.

"Please understand, I really hate to, but I have to leave." He said.

"I...I understand." She whispered sadly.

"Well, bye Gabbi." He said.

"Ryan wait." She said, grabbing his hand.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Thank you." She said, crying again.

Ryan smiled and hugged her.

"Anything for you." He said, patting her back.

"I'm gonna miss you so much Ryan." She said.

"Don't, because I'm not going anywhere, I'll always be right here." He said gently tapping her heart.

Gabriella smiled gently, Ryan leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Adiós mi amigo." He said.

"Goodbye Ryan." She whispered.

Ryan turned and walked to the door.

He turned once more and smiled at Gabriella, suddenly the door flew open, Ryan disappeared on contact.

Troy stepped in the room.

"Gabbi?" He asked.

"Troy?" She asked.

Troy rushed to her and hugged her.

"I missed you so much." He said.

"I missed you baby." She said.

"What are you doing up?" He asked, stroking her hair lovingly.

Gabriella thought for a minute.

"I had a visitor." She said.

"Oh really, who?" Troy asked.

"An old friend." She smiled, looking out the sunshine filled window.


	13. AN: I'm done

So...why is it that everyone can tell me their too busy to review my chapters, but they can review my ANs like this and the other one? I really enjoy writing personally, but I think I've slightly overstayed my visit here on fanfic dot net. Nobody seems to like my work anymore, only one of my stories even gets comments anymore. So I think I'm just about done with writing. Oh well, maybe I can take up stamp collecting, or knitting or something...


	14. An: The last post

Now most people think that I was lying or just feeling sorry for myself in that last post. Well sure, I was feeling sorry for myself, but I was dead serious about overstaying my welcome. And to the user, Josh, you can kiss my a'', and to whoever sent me those PMs, I forget who you are, ya'll can suck it. And to GoodCharlotte615, I checked your older reviews, and noticed that they were mostly...well not really flames, just slight complaints. That's why your one of my favorite reviews. When I demand reviews, it's not for everyone to kiss my a'' and tell me how great I am, it's for creative criticism. Not like Josh's, but actually telling me, what's wrong with it, plot holes, even if it's just one little spelling error. I really hate begging for reviews, and when you have to, it's probably because people don't think your good enough, and if that's the case, just tell me, because that's the impression everyone's giving me. 

P.S The next chapter goes up Friday, after that three or four more chapters and I'm done.


	15. Two weeks

Ok, despite me pizzing everyone off, throwing a pitty party(which sort of makes up for that birthday party I never had when I was six...oh crap I'm doing it again), and getting torn to shreds by strangers through PMs, I still enjoy writting this fic, and even if I have burned out on this site which is what I'm thinking, because this is'nt the only story I'm having this problem with, I'm still gonna write, I'm gonna finish this, and my other fics and see where the fanfic roads take me, so here ya go people, enjoy!(seriously)

"Ok, how about now?" The doctor asked, gently pressing on Gabriella's ribs.

"A little." She said.

"Yes, well it will take some time to completely heal, we're talking six months to a year, but everything else seems good." He said, scribbling something down on a clip board.

"Ok, now can you turn your neck?" He asked.

"It's a little stiff." She said, rubbing it.

"Well it's mostly because of the lack of exercise, but such as your ribs, everything seems to be in place, oh wait one thing." He said.

"Say ahhh." He said.

"Ahhhh...wait, what does this have to do with my ribs and lungs?" She asked.

"Nothing, I just lost my watch." He smiled.

Gabriella giggled for the first time in weeks.

"Your a very special girl Gabriella, and the good lord has something very special planned for you." He said.

"Thank you." She smiled.

He smiled warmly and walked out of the room.

Miss Montez came rushing in.

"Gabbi, hi baby, I'm so sorry I'm late." She said, kissing her cheek.

"Hi mom, it's ok, the doctor said I'm doing good." She said.

"That's great." She smiled.

"Where's Troy?" Gabriella asked.

"Bathroom, you know Troy." She grinned.

"Oh yeah." Gabriella smiled.

"Hey, can I come in?" Someone asked, knocking on the other side of the door.

"Come on in Troy." Gabriella said.

"Not exactly, a little darker, and slightly better looking." Chad said, holding the door open for Taylor.

"Hi guys." Gabriella said, excited to see her friends.

It has been two days since Ryan's funeral in case you were wondering.

"These are for you." Chad said, handing her a dozen roses.

"Their beautiful." Gabriella said, smelling something other than hospital fror the first time in weeks.(Gee, Gabriella sure is behind, is'nt she? lol, j/k)

"Their from both of us." He said, wrapping his arm around Taylor.

Suddenly a knock on the door caused everyone to turn around.

"Hey." Troy said, sticking his head in the door.

"Hi Troy!" Gabriella exclaimed.

"Look who I found." He said, opening the door as Sharpay, Kelsi, and Jason all stepped in.

"Gabbi, oh my God." Kelsi aid, rushing to hug her.

"Hi guys." Gabriella said.

"Do you see what happens when I listen to you!" Kelsi said, slapping Jason's arm.

"ME, what did I do?" He asked.

"I should have been here, for her, instead of out of town with you." She said.

"I'm so sorry Gabriella, I really am." Kelsi said, beginning to tear up.

"It's ok, really." Gabriella said.

"Hi Gabriella." Sharpay smiled weakly.

"Hi Sharpay." Gabriella smiled back.

Sharpay walked up to Gabriella and hugged her.

"Ar you doing better, like...are you gonna die or anything?" Jason asked.

Kelsi and Taylor both elbowed him in the ribs, and Chad shot him that,"Shut up or I'll kill you" look, Troy began to cough uncontrollably, and Sharpay's eyes grew huge in disbelief.

But Gabriella actually burst out laughing,"No no, of course not, I'm gonna be fine."

"That's cool." Jason smiled, but everyone continued to stare at him.

"What? She said she's gonn be ok." He said.

"Yeah, it's ok guys, really." She said.

Kelsi sighed and shook her head.

"So did they say when you could leave?" Sharpay asked.

"Not yet, but soon I hope, I wanna go home!" She said.

Everyone smiled.

"Hey Sharpay, come to think of it, where's Ryan?" Jason asked.

"Oh my God." Kelsi said, buring her face in her hands.

Everyone looked down sadly.

"What?" He asked.

"He...he's gone man." Chad said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"He..." Sharpay bega, but Gabriella cut her off,"Can I? Please?"

"Go ahead." Sharpay said, not weanting to recount the horrible event herself.

"Here's the story, I was beaten, outside of a movie theater." She began, but Troy cut her off,"Because I was'nt there for her."

Gabriella sighed and continued,"Anyways, I needed a lung, well while I was in here, Troy, Chad, and Ryan, found my attackers."

"So they went, and they...they killed them."

"They...this Troy, this Chad, and Ryan, Sharpay's Ryan killed someone?" He asked.

"You remember that gang that killed my mom?" Chad asked.

"Oh yeah...he was one of them?" Jason asked.

"No...it was all of them." Troy said, looking down.

Jason's eyes grew huge.

"Anyway, I needed a lung, and Ryan...Ryan got shot...and killed...and..." Gabriella could'nt finish.

Troy wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh." Jason said softly.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"It's ok." Sharpay sighed, looking down.

Suddenly the doctor stepped in the room,"Gabriella I...see your having a party."

"Oh...no, no, they were just here to see me." She said.

"Well I'm gonna have to ask them to step out of the room for a few minutes." He said.

Everyone obliged except Miss Montez and Troy.

"Doctor, when can my little girl come home?" She asked.

"That's what I wanted to talk about." He said.

Troy's eyes grew huge, he sat next to Gabriella, and took her hand in his.

"Well I've studied the new x-rays and it seems that Gabriella will be cleared to go home in two weeks." He said.

Troy smiled and kissed Gabriella's hand.

She looked up at him and smiled.

"However, she will require extensive rehab, and she will need lots of rest, but everything seems to be in order." He said.

"Thank you doctor." Miss Montez said.

"It's what I do." He said.

"Just two more weeks baby girl." Troy said.

Ok, I'm so sorry for not posting last night, I forgot, and as much as I want ya'll to be loyal, I have to be loyal to you. So sorry about that. And congrats to Amber(GoodCharlotte615) on her new PT Cruiser.


	16. Ease the pain

Well you can't possibly expect the drama/angst to be over...

"Two weeks! That's great!" Taylor said.

"I know, I can't wait to go home, the first thing I'm gonna do is take a nice, hot, long, shower, change into MY pjs and finally go to bed...in MY bed, with MY Troy." Gabriella said.

Taylor laughed,"I can only imagine..."

"So...how are things at school?" She asked.

"To be honest, I have'nt been to school in two weeks, none of us have." She said.

"Oh." She said.

"Where are Troy's parents?" She asked.

"I have'nt seen them,I think he said they were out of town, I guess he has'nt talked to them cause I'm sure they will come back when they find out." She said.

"Maybe...I mean Troy's dad..." She began, but suddenly a knock on the door cut her off.

"Come in." She called.

"Hey ladies." Chad smiled, stepping in.

"Hi Chad. Gabriella said.

"Hey baby." Taylor said.

"Hey, I'm gonna...go get more cigarettes." He said.

"Chad." Taylor said.

"I know, I'm gonna stop, I promise, but just one more pack." He said.

"Fine, just one more pack, smoke until you end up next to Ryan, be my guest." She said.

"Tay...don't be so mean." Gabriella said.

"No girl, he's always been like this, I'm tired of it." She said.

"You do know I'm standing right here, and what do you mean, he's always been like this, what the hell am I always like?" He asked.

"LIKE THAT!" She said.

"LIKE WHAT?" He shouted.

"Guys, stop, please." Gabriella said.

"You know what, just go get your cigarettes, but don't stay here with your crap." She said.

"My crap? Your the one who started everything with you mouth!" He said.

"I'm so tired of you, what happened to you, what happened to the Chad that wrapped his arms around me and asked me to the afterparty, that kisses me goodnight, who's arms I wake up in every morning?" She asked.

Chad sighed and looked down sadly,"He died next to Ryan."

With that he turned and walked out of the room.

Taylor opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"I had no idea." Gabriella said sadly.

"He...he's been so depressed, it's just like...when we're here, he's so cheerful, and we get home, and he locks himself in his room in the dark, and just sits there all night, he does'nt eat, he does'nt sleep, he paces the floors, he smokes twice as much now, and he...he does'nt even act like he likes me anymore." Taylor said.

"I'm sorry." Gabriella said, placing her hand on Taylor's shoulder.

"No, it's not your fault." She said, quickly brushing a tear away.

Gabriella sighed and hugged Taylor.

"He's just going through hard times right now, we all are." Gabriella said.

"I know." Taylor said, a few tears sliding down her cheeks.

Meanwhile

Chad walked through the parking lot, never once looking up.

He climbed into his truck and drove back to his and Taylor's appartment.

He slowly climbed the stairs and entered his home.

He walked into his room and sat down at his desk.

He shoved a few book to the side and opened a drawer.

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and began to pull one out, but he dropped them on the floor.

"What's the use?" He asked.

He sat down in the dark and began to rub his temple.

He cracked his eyes open and reached into the shelf, he found a small hole, just big enough for his pinky.

He twisted it around inside of it for a few seconds before it slid open.

He had always had these dressers, ever since he was ten, before his mother was killed.

This was his secret spot where he use to keep things like his favorite basketball cards, special pictures, money and birthdat cards, but now it held such darker things.

Her reached in and pulled out a news paper clipping that read,

"Local mother shot and killed in front of gang hideout."

He pulled out another that read,

"Joanna Danforth, dead age 41."

Next he pulled out something familiar, a gun and a few bullets.

He set them on the shelf in front of him.

Next he retrived a knife, that had_,"Never forget, Never forgive." _engraved on the blade.

And last he pulled out three last articles, one read, _"South League toppled, 3 high school student kill over a hundred armed gang members."_

Another,_ High School Heros - 3 high school student armed only with three guns each and a whole lot of courage were able to stop the entire residential gang know as South League, only one killed in the process."_

And the last that read,

"Ryan Evans, dead at age 17."

He placed the papers on the shelf, a few tears falling next to them.

He began to rub his temple again.

Suddenly, his eyes shot open.

"What if I...just made it all go away?" He asked himself.

He slowly reached out and took the gun, and a single bullet.

He opened the gun and slid the bullet in the chamber.

He stared long and hard at the cold metal contraption, thinking,_ "This won't hurt anyone, in fact, it'll do most people good, Tay does'nt really care about me anymore, Sharpay won't have to see me anyomore, and think back on all those times I tortured Ryan."_

He pressed the barrel to the side of his head and...


	17. White Powder

Wow, I can't belive how mean you people are, you nver review...no no, I'm kidding, don't get mad, actually, I would like to thamk everyone who did and had reviewed. I'm really getting back into this fic, but I don't want it to get into the 30,000 word catagory, so 3 more chapters for sure. I promise. And I also promise that I won't ask for reviews again, I jusy wanted to make sure I was going in the right direction with it, cause stories like this start big, sink down, and just get flamed from that point on, and I don't want that to happen to this story. So without further delay..._Although_...reviews would still be cool, not mandatory, but cool, ok, so this time for sure...

He pressed the barrel to the side of his head and...

"I...can't." He grunted,"I JUST CAN'T DO THIS!"

He threw the gun at a mirror and flipped the dresser over.

Hundreds of broken pieces fell to the floor as Chad caught his breath.

He walked over the the mess and looked down, seeing his reflection hundreds of times.

"What's happening to me?" He asked, picking a large piece up.

"I...I need to get away from this." He said, dropping the piece.

He pulled the dresser back over and began to did through his secret compartment until he found it.

He pulled out a rather large locket, without a necklace on it.

He began to fiddle with the lock on it.

"Just promise me you'll never do anything stupid like this again." Troy's voice ran through his head.

Chad dropped the locket.

When he was only thirteen, his mother was killed as you know, well Chad had to go live with someone...

****

Flashback

Troy Bolton(Age 13), sat in his room watching T.V and scribbling basketball plays down on a peice of paper.

Suddenly his mother burst into his room.

"Troy!" She said, very pale.

"Mom? What's wrong?" He asked, jumping up.

"Troy...sit down sweetheart." She said.

"Mom, what happened?" He asked.

Suddenly Jack stepped in,"Did you tell him?"

"Tell me what, what's wrong?" Troy asked, turning pale himself.

"Son, it's Chad." He said.

"What happened to him?" Troy asked, jumping up.

"Troy...Chad's mother was just shot and killed." His mother said, placing her hand over her mouth.

Troy's eyes filled with tears,"But...he does'nt have a dad, so now he's all alone...what are we doing here, he needs us, COME ON, HE NEEDS US!" He shouted, rushing away from his parents.

"TROY!" Jack shouted, but Troy rushed down the stairs and through the front doors.

He ran down the sidewalk, and through the darkness, he did'nt live that far from Chad's house, only a few blocks.

After a few minutes he turned the corner and ran down Chad's street.

He finally found his house, but there were a few police officers outside.

"What happened?" Troy asked frantically.

"His mother..." The cop began, but Troy cut him off,"I know, I mean where's Chad?"

"He's inside, he won't come out." The cop said.

Troy rushed to the the door and began to bang on it.

"CHAD, CHAD OPEN UP, CHAD!" He shouted, pounding on the door.

Suddenly the door cracked open slightly, "Troy?"

"Chad, it's me man." Troy said, out of breath.

Chad opened the door and looked away sadly.

"Are you ok?" Troy asked.

Chad shook his head, not wanting to speak or turn around.

"I'm sorry Chad." Troy said.

"She was all I had." Chad said, tears straming down his face.

"No...that's not true...you've still got your best friend." Troy said.

Chad turned around slowly.

"It's ok man." Troy said.

Chad shook his head,"No, she's gone, I'm done man, I'm gonna get put out on the streets now, I...I don't even want to be alive anymore."

"Don't say that, don't you ever say that, and you won't be out on the streets, I won't let you, you can have my room." Troy said.

"Thank you..." Chad choked out.

Troy pulled him into a tight hug.

"It's ok to cry." Troy said, tears streaming down his own face.

Chad buried his face in Troy's shoulder.

"It's ok Chad, everythings gonna be ok, I promise." Troy said.

One month later

Troy rushed into his house.

"Hey sweetie." His mother said.

"Chad's in his room." She said.

"Thanks mom." Troy said, dropping his backpack on table.

He rushed upstairs to Chad's room,"Chad, what's the deal, leaving me like that?"

Nothing.

"Chad?" Troy called.

"Ugh...hold on." Chad said.

"Man I know what your doing, and your gonna go blind if ya don't quit." Troy joked.

"Yeah...that's it, just hold on." Chad said.

"Seriously, though what...the hell?" Troy blurted out, stepping in the room.

Chad was sitting at his desk, a razor blade in hand, a trail of white powder on the desk.

"Troy!" Chad said.

"Chad..that's not..." Troy began.

"No, yes, but...just please don't tell your parents." Chsd pleaded.

"Your doing drugs and I'm suppose to ignore it!" Troy said.

"Shhh, please, don't." Chad pleaded.

"Why are you doing this?" Troy asked.

"Because." Chad shrugged, looking away.

"BECAUSE WHY?" Troy shouted.

"BECAUSE IT HEPS ME FORGET, OK? IT HELPS ME FORGET ABOUT MY MOM, ABOUT MY PROBLEMS!" Chad shouted.

Troy looked down.

"Boys, are you ok in there?" Mrs. Bolton asked, knocking on the door.

"So your gonna sell me out right?" Chad asked.

Troy looked down sadly.

"No mom, were not." He said.

She opened the door and stepped in.

Troy quickly covered the powder with his hand.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I broke Chad's remote, I'm sorry." He said.

"Oh it's no big deal, we can buy him a new one." She said.

"Y...yeah, it's no big deal." Chad said.

Mrs. Bolton smiled and walked away.

Troy looked up at Chad.

"Thanks." Chad said.

Troy nodded, "Just promise me you'll never do anything stupid like this again."

"I promise." Chad said.

Troy wiped the trail away and picked up a small baggie full of white powder.

"Do you have anymore?" He asked.

Chad shook his head.

"Never again." He said.

Chad nodded and Troy walked away, dropping the bag in the toliet and flushing it.

End Flashback

"But that was then, and this is now, I need this, just once." Chad said, picking the locket up and unlocking it, dropping a pile of white powder in front of him...


	18. A whole new problem

Ok people. I know it seems like that this fic is going waaaaaaaaay to slow, I was sort of thinking that, but I've been in this "bussiness" to long to screw this up. I know what I'm doing trust me. I would never let you down. Anyway, two more chapters after this one and we're all done. A sequel is highly unlikely however, since I only to sequels and trilogies for my horror stories. _But_...of course if there is a high enough demand for one...

Two weeks later...

"Ok, and you will need these twice a day, one during breakfast and one before you go to bed." The doctor carefuly intructed Gabriella about her pain medication.

Troy and Miss Montez were sitting next to her, Taylor and Sharpay were in the waiting room.

"Did you call them?" Taylor asked.

Sharpay nodded.

"So is it ready?" She asked.

Sharpay nodded once more.

"Great." Taylor said.

"Ok Gabriella, this of course won't be the last time I see you since you will require check-ups and such every week for at least a month, but good news, your rehab time was cut down to three and a half months, you seem to be healing alot faster that what we anticipated." He said.

Gabriella smiled.

"That's just how tough my baby really is." Troy said.

The doctor smiled.

"Now you can't take it to rough, no heavy lifting, no bending what so ever." He said.

Gabriella nodded.

"Now if the pain gets to intense or you begin to bleed, at all, you need to immediately come right back here." He said.

"Yes sir." She said.

"Well then..." He began scribbling something down on a clip board,"Gabriella Montez...your cleard to go home."

Gabriella smiled and hugged her mother.

"It's over baby...you made it." Troy said, kissing her softly,"I love you."

"I love you too, and I love you mom...I could'nt have made it without you." Gabriella said.

Troy smiled and took her hand.

"Ok, so I'm sure your ready to go now?" The doctor asked.

"Yes please." She said.

"Ok, let me get you a wheelchair." He said, walking out of the room.

"Where's everyone else?" She asked.

"Ohhh, they were busy." Troy lied.

"Oh." Gabriella said, a little hurt that her friends would'nt be here for her special day.

"Ok, here we are, all set." The doctor said, wheeling the chair in the room.

"Thank you." Gabriella said, pulling herself up.

"Your chest and sides will still be sore." The doctor warned.

Gabriella nodded.

"So you'll have to be extra carefull." He said.

"I'll make sure of that." Troy said.

Gabriella smiled.

"Ok, here we go." Gabriella said, slowly kicking her legs over the side of the bed.

"Take your time." The doctor said.

She felt her feet make contact with the cold tile floor.

She winced a little as she stood up, Troy holding onto her arm.

"Don't let go." She said.

"Never." He whispered.

She was almost up when she fell back on the bed.

"I...I just can't." She said, tears forming.

"Please don't make me stay."

"It's ok, you just need to stretch, you've been laying there for almost a month." The doctor said.

"See Gabbi, your ok, don't cry." Her mother said.

Gabriella nodded and slowly began to stand again.

Troy helped her stand up completly.

"Are you sure this is ok...I feel dizzy." She said.

"That's your blood shifting, just keep going." He said.

"Come on baby, you can do it." Troy said.

Gabriella took a baby step forward.

"Keep going, you've got it." The doctor said.

She took another step, followed by two more.

"Good...good, but let's see if you can make it without Troy." The doctor said.

Gabriella's eyes grew huge, full of fear.

"I...I don't think I can."

"Yes you can, I'll be right here, I promise." Troy said.

"Ok." She said nervously.

Troy slowly slid his arm from under hers.

She wobbled a little but maintained balance.

"See, you're doing great." The doctor said.

Gabriella took a few steps forward.

"I think I'm getting better." She said.

Suddenly she began to fall forward, before she could even fall an inch, she was in Troy's arms.

"If I'm breathing, then your standing." He smiled.

Gabriella smiled back.

"That's good, you'll need to work on that, be sure your carefull though." The doctor said.

Gabriella nodded.

"Ok, now, you can go." He said.

"Alright." She said, slowly sittng down the wheelchair.

Troy quiclky opened he door and signaled for Taylor and Sharpay to go on, they nodded and rushed away.

Miss Montez wheeled Gabriella out of the room, when she got through the doorway, Troy took over.

After a few minutes, they wre in the parking lot.

"Ok Gabriella." The doctor smiled,"Goodbye for now."

"Bye doctor...but one thing." She said.

"Go on, any pains?" He asked.

"No...but I was wondering...could I keep this, I mean I could get use to this." She said, patting the wheelchair.

The doctor laughed,"Sorry dear, if it was up to me, you could take it, but hospital property."

"I know, I was just kidding." She smiled.

"Now why would you need this when you have these?" Troy asked, flexing his arm muscles.

"Wow...you have'nt missed a beat." Gabriella said.

Troy smiled and looked down.

"Ok Gabriella, I'll see you, my breaks almost over." He said, walking back towards the hospital.

"Bye doctor, thank you." She called.

"Ok angel, time to get you home." Troy said, carefully picking her up and sitting her in the passengers seat.

"I'll drive." Miss Montez said.

"It's ok, I've got it." Troy said.

"I swear your just the perfect man." She said.

"I know I told you." Gabriella smiled.

Troy grinned and started the car.

The drive was quick and smooth, they were back at Troy and Gabbi's house in no time.

"Well here we are baby girl." Troy said, pulling in the driveway.

Miss Montez jumped out of the car and opened Gabriella's door.

"Thanks mom." Gabriella said, beginning to get out.

"Hold on now." Troy said, picking her up once more.

"Troy." She laughed.

"Yeah, we could probably use one of those wheelchairs." He said.

"Ugh, and why's that, are you saying I'm fat now?" She teased.

"No...but thar cracking...that's just my back." He said.

"Then let me try to walk." She said.

"Fine, but I'll be right here." Troy said.

Gabriella nodded.

He gently lowered her on the ground, holding her waist.

"I think I got it." She said, taking a few steps.

"Your doing better." Miss Montez smiled.

"Your so amazing." Troy said, kissing the top of her head.

"Troy..." She said.

Troy smiled and took her hand in his.

"You think you can make it to the house?" He asked.

"I think." She said.

It took her a few minutes, but she did it.

"See, your doing great." Troy said.

"Yeah...do you think the guys will come by later?" She asked.

"I don't think they'll want too." Troy said.

"Why?" She asked, opening the door.

"WELCOME HOME GABRIELLA!" Everyone shouted.

"We may have found the reason." Miss Montez said.

"Guys, your all here!" She said.

"Did you think we'd miss this?" Taylor asked.

"Thank's you guys." Gabriella said.

"Well we could'nt just forget about you." Kelsi said.

Gabriella smiled hugged her.

"Well have a seat, it's time for your presents." Zeke said.

"What?" She asked.

"Yeah, we all got you something." Kelsi said, pulling up a chair for her.

"I can't belive this, I thought you guys really forgot about me." She said.

"No way, I'm so sorry I did'nt come to see you, nobody told me though, I was starting to wonder if you guys had all moved or something, but I did know about your homecoming, so I baked you this." Zeke said, laying a cake down on the table in front of her.

"Zeke it's beautiful, thank you so much." Gabriella said.

"It's vanilla and strawberry, I used extra strawberry since you said it was your favorite."

"Thank you." She said, hugging him.

"I wrote you a song, but...there's no piano here, so I'll play it for you on the first day you get back to school." Kelsi said.

"Wow, my own song, thank you Kelsi." Gabriella smiled.

"It's the very least I could do." She said.

"And I helped." Jason said.

"Thank you both." She said.

"Gabriella...I, I know this is'nt much, but I thought you might like it." Sharpay said, handing her a rather large box.

Gabriella took the box and carefully unwrapped it.

She pulled the lid off and revealed something round.

She pulled it out, it was a dark brown hat.

"It...it was Ryan's favorite, I thought you might like." Sharpay said.

"I...I can't, it...it just would'nt be right." She said.

"No no, he would have wanted you to have it." Sharpay said.

"Thank you." Gabriella said, hugging her.

"Your welcome." She said.

"Well...we would'nt wanna be a bother, better get going." Jason said.

"No, we are not going home for some stupid basketball game." Kelsi said.

"But Kelsi it's the play..." He began, but she cut him off,"I can't belive how selfish you are, my god, she almost died."

"No, it's ok, he does'nt have to miss his game, you guys can go." Gabriella said.

"Well if you insist." Jason said.

"No, we're staying." She said.

"It's ok Kelsi, really, you guys can go." Gabriella said.

Kelsi bit her lip,"I promise I'll come back, WITHOUT Mr. selfish here." Kelsi said.

"Ok." Gabriella laughed.

"You see I'm always the bad guy." Jason said, walking through the front door.

"Shut up!" Kelsi said, slapping his shoulder.

"Owww." He said as the door closed behind him.

"Troy, have you talked to Chad today?" Taylor whispered.

"No...I thought he was with you." Troy said.

"No, I'm worried about him, he has'nt been himself lately." She said.

"What's wrong with him?" Troy asked.

"He...he's almost never home anymore, he...he's so mean to me, and...I...I think..." She began.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Well I really need to talk to you outside." She said.

"Ok." Troy said.

"Hey Gabbi, I'll be right back." Troy said.

"Ok." She said.

"Come on." Troy said, opening the door for her.

He closed the door behind them.

"Troy...I think Chad's, doing drugs, I mean I know he smokes, and he was really about to stop, but them all this came along and he started all of his old habits again." She said.

"Drugs? Are you sure?" Troy asked.

"I'm almost positive." She said.

Troy closed his eyes and sighed.

"Look, look at me." Troy said.

"I promise I'm gonna take care of this, I know how to handle this, let me tend to Gabriella first, and I'll make things right, ok?"

"Ok Troy, I trust you." She said.

"Taylor...before you go, there...there's something you need to know about Chad." Troy began.

Taylor's eyes grew huge...

Ok, know I know that it looks like it's not going anywhere, but the next two chapters are gonna be really long, about 2500 to 3000 words long, so everything'll work out. Review if you want.


	19. AU: Letter of Resignation

Well it's been a while since I've posted anything, almost a month, and I've been using that month to think about things. And it finally came to my attention that, I'm not really cut out to do this anymore...errr, at all really. When I started, I wasn't really good, but it was you people who reviewed and told me I needed to fix this, and stop doing this, and start doing this, so I followed, and soon writing was my only hobby. It was what I looked forward everyday to, getting to come home from my crappy school and tying up a new chapter for my people, but, as it should, and will, everything changes, and I just think that...I'm not good enough to do this anymore. Not to mention that things have really changed around here, a whole new breed of authors, a whole new demand for a whole new type of story and/or plot, and I just can't keep up anymore. I always promised myself two things,

1. If I know I can't carry a plot or story anymore, I'll ditch it.

2. I **WILL NOT** let my people down.

And I think that I'm going to have to, and are doing both of those, and it makes me sick, so I really don't know how to put this, so I'm just gonna come straight out with it...

**I quit.**

And when I say I quit, I don't mean that in three weeks there's gonna be this glorious comeback and I'm gonna be all happy/jumpy again and...no, not gonna happen. I think it would be best if I just quit, and let the new authors do what they wanted. You see, when you have a sled, and you have four dogs but they are all old, and you get four new dogs, you don't put three good one's on and leave one old one, because he's only gonna slow the rest down.

So, I'm really sorry about all the unfinished work, but one thing, I happen to have the last chapter of An Angels falling, A devils uprise almost complete, so I'll finish that and post it **12/15/06**.

And you can b'tch at me all you want, and tell me to quit feeling sorry for myself, but the truth is, I'm not, and all that is from the heart, so just flame away, I really don't care anymore.

So, fanfiction dot net, I've got...just..two words for ya...

I'm done


	20. A Meltdown and a Miracle

_"Taylor...before you go, there...there's something you need to know about Chad." Troy began._

_Taylor's eyes grew huge...4 hours later..._

Gabriella was laying on her bed, nose buried in a book as usual.

Troy walked in the room looking rather pale.

"Troy, what's wrong?" Gabriella asked, closing the book and placing it on the nightstand.

"N...nothing, nothing, don't worry about it." He said, tossing his shirt in the corner of the room.

"But..." She began, but Troy cut her off,"IT'S...it's nothing, really baby, don't worry, I...I'm just tired, and I'm sure you are too."

She flipped off the nightlight and slowly layed back on her pillow.

"Yeah...I guess your right." She said.

"And what's this?" Troy asked, taking the book from the nightstand.

"It's my book." She said.

"Hey now, the doctor said no straining, that includes your eyes." He teased.

"Ugh...I'll have you know my eyesight is still perfect." She said.

"Oh really?" Troy asked.

"Really." She smiled.

"Then, how many fingers am I holding up?" He asked.

Gabriella squinted to see through the dark

"One." She said.

"No, it's not a one, it's an I." He said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"And I, for I love you." Troy said.

"Ohhh Troy...that was so corny." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yeah...things like that sounded better when you were in the hospital." He said.

Gabriella layed her head on his arm.

"Troy?" She whispered.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking down.

"Troy, what did you do while I was in the hospital...before I woke up?" She asked.

Troy shifted slighly.

"Well...I never left your side, only one night, I remember, because Chad and Ryan had to drag me out of the hospital." He said.

"Why?" She asked.

"Well, I hadn't slept in a week, I was acting really...different." He said.

"How different?" She asked.

"I called them terrorist and tried to make Taylor and Sharpay kiss." He said.

"TROY!" Gabriella laughed.

"What? I get crazy when I don't sleep."

"I know, I know, but anyway...?" She asked.

"And while you were resting...I always held your hand...and told you how much I loved you, and kissed you goodnight, everynight." He said.

"What about everyone else?" She asked.

"Everyone was there, everyday, and they were always beside you,even if I wasn't, you were never alone, not even once." He said.

"What about Ryan?" She asked.

Troy's eyes grew huge.

"Well, Ryan was always there, he was the one who saved you." Troy said.

"I know, the lung." She said.

"No, when you were getting attacked, Ryan saved you, her called the ambulance, he rode to the hospital with you, Ryan really looked out for you Gabbi."

Gabriella sighed,"What do you think he's doing right now?"

"Ryan?" Troy asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm sure he's looking down on us, right now, and...he's smiling, because he knows your ok."

"Oh, I think he's known for a while." Gabriella smiled.

Troy let out a long yawn.

"You think he's watching over Sharpay right now?" Gabriella asked.

"I'm sure he is." Troy whispered, his eyes growing weary.

"Troy?" She asked.

"Yeah?"

"Where was Chad earlier?" She asked.

Troy cracked his eyes open.

"He...he wasn't feeling well, he decided he'd stay home, he didn't want to get you sick." Troy lied.

"Are you sure he's not mad at me?" She asked.

"Of course, why would he...anyone be mad at you baby?" Troy asked.

"All the trouble I cause."

"Trouble?" He asked.

"Yes, trouble, from the time I got here, everything just...seemed to fall apart."

"No it didn't, things got better, everything changed in a good way." Troy said.

"What about Ryan?" She asked.

"Ryan made a choice on his own to do what he did, I couldn't stop him, Chad couldn't, Sharpay, you, or anyone could stop him, and no one made him, I still miss Ryan, and I owe him everything for doing what he did for you baby, but you can't blame yourself for what happened."

Gabriella sighed,"I...I guess not, but what about Sharpay?"

"She has two parents who love her and will take good care of her, if she needs anything, at all, I told her our doors are open, Gabriella, stop worring yourself with everyone else, they are grow, they know what to do, just think about getting yourself completly better, ok angel?"

"It...it just feels...wrong, something feels out of place." She said.

"Your just tired, you just need rest."

"Maybe..." She said.

She stared at the dark shadows playing off the ceiling.

She reached under the sheets and gently brushed the bandages on her stomach and ribs_."I hate scars."_ She thought.

"Troy?" She whispered

Nothing.

"Troy?" She called again.

Still nothing.

She looked over, only to find him sound asleep.

She smiled,"I guess even my big, unstoppable, Troy need rest."

Gabriella fell asleep next to Troy after a few minutes, but the rest wasn't to last.

Troy's phone began to ring.

He gently, slowly lifted his head, but quickly shot up and grabbed it, trying to keep from waking Gabriella.

"Hello?" He yawned.

"Troy...it's Taylor...I...I really need you." She said, her voice shakey.

"What's wrong, what did he do?" Troy asked.

"I...just need you, please, please, I'm begging you." She said.

Troy's eyes grew huge, this seemed really bad, Taylor was a very independent girl, it was unheard of for her to call someone and beg for help in the middle of the night.

"Hold on, I'll be there as fast as I can, if you need, just leave, I'm going to fix things, one way or another." He said, picking up his shirt and rebandaging his shoulder.

He rushed out of the house and started his car.

"I should leave Gabbi a note, but this is important...real important." He thought.

He sped towards Chad's house, when he arrived, Taylor's car was gone, but Chad's truck was there.

He approached the front door and knocked.

"I TOLD YOU IF YOU LEAVE YOU NOT COMING BACK!" Someone shouted on the other side.

Suddenly the door flew down with Troy's foot on top of it.

"Hello Chad." He said, eyes narrowed, fist clenched.

Chad shot up.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked.

"No, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He asked, shoving Chad against the wall.

"I'M NOT DOING A DAMN THING!"

"That's a lie and you know it, now what have you been taking!"

"That's none of your business!"

"LIKE HELL IT ISN'T, A WOMAN JUST WOULDN'T CRY OUT FOR HELP FOR NOTHING, NOW YOU BETTER GIVE THIS UP!" Troy shouted, grabbing him by his collar.

Chad look down at Troy's hand.

"You better take you hand off me or..." He began.

"Or you'll do what?" Troy asked through gritted teeth,"Hit me, just like you hit her."

Chad had enough, he smirked and cocked his head back,"You just don't learn do you?"

With that, he head-butted Troy full force, right in the nose, knocking him down.

"YOU COME IN TO MY HOUSE AND THREATEN ME?!" He shouted, jumping on top of Troy and punching him over and over.

Troy tried to get up, but Chad had him pinned, and was destroying him.(Get it, des-_**troy**_-ing him, wasn't really a joke, but still...oh yeah...drama/violence)

"Chad? OH MY GOD CHAD, STOP, GET OFF HIM! Taylor screamed, rushing through the door way.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT!" He screamed, jumping of Troy and tackling her

"CHAD...NO...PLEASE BABY IT'S ME, DON'T!" She cried as he pulled his fist back.

Suddenly Troy kicked Chad in the back of the head, causing him to fall off Taylor.

"YOU WANNA BEAT UP A WOMAN, BEAT THIS UP YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Troy shouted, reaching into his pocket...

"TROY NO!" Taylor screamed as Troy cocked a gun and shoved it in Chad face.

Chad's eyes grew huge.

"You think I won't do it? You think I don't know I'll go sit in a cell for the rest of my life because this time I can't call it self defense? Cause I do, and you think I care?" Troy asked.

Chad didn't say anything.

"PLEASE, DON'T, I STILL LOVE HIM, I STILL CARE ABOUT HIM TROY, HE JUST NEEDS HELP!" Taylor cried.

"He need a to needs to be taught a lesson." Troy said.

"NO, TROY, PLEASE, THINK ABOUT GABRIELLA, YOUR FUTURE, HIS, MINE, DON'T PUT US THROUGH ANOTHER DEATH, WASN'T RYAN'S ONE TOO MANY?"

Troy looked up at Taylor, but that one second was all Chad needed.

He punched Troy in the face, causing him to drop the gun.

"CHAD DON'T!" Taylor screamed.

Chad reached for the gun, but Troy kicked it to Taylor, who grabbed it.

"GIMME THE..." Chad began, but Troy tackled him from behind.

They spilled into the kitchen.

Chad was the first up.

He charged Troy into the counter, where he punched him three times before he stopped and backed away.

He snatched a plate off the conter and spun around.

He was storming towards Troy, who leaned back and kicked him in the face with both feet.

Chad stumbled backwards and slumped up against the back door.

Troy shoved himself off of the counter and yanked the shelf from the wall.

He threw it at Chad as hard as he could.

He hardly got his hands up the block the shelf as it smashed into the side of his head.

Everything was blurry, but he still made out a blurry figure charging at him.

Shows a side view of the outside of Chad's backyard.

Suddnly Troy and Chad crashed through the back door, glass and splinters raining down on them.

"You...son...of...a...bitch..." Chad breathed, pulling himself up.

Troy doing the same, clutching his ribs.

"I'll...I'll kill you...I swear to Christ, I'll kill you." Chad said, blood pouring from a gash in his forehead.

Troy's shoulder was dislocated from slamming onto the cement patio, blood was trickling from his mouth, and he had no vison in left eye, but Troy Bolton didn't quit.

"Have at it." He said, signaling to come on.

Chad swung at him, but Troy ducked and stumbled towards the fence.

Chad stopped to wipe the blood from his eye, while Taylor stood in the doorway."If I don't stop them, they could kill each other, but if I call the cops, they'll go to jail, I...I don't know what to do."

Troy walked towards Chad, who has his fist raised, ready to strike him down with any wrong move.

"Hit me Chad." Troy said, dropping his own fist, standing defenceless.

Chad's eyes grew wide, _"It's a trick, I know it."_

He slowly approached and eyed Troy, who still didn't make a move.

He swung and hit Troy square in the jaw.

"That's right!" Troy slurred, stumbling backwards.

Chad contined his assault, landing blow, after stiff blow in Troy's face.

"JUST FALL YOU BASTARD!" Chad should, as Troy poured blood, but stood his ground.

"Who...who...ta...ta...taught...youeverything(Meant to be 1 word) you...know...who...taught you...how to...be...a...a...a...man?" Troy asked.

Chad's eyes grew huge.

_Flashback._

"You heard us Danforth, put up or shut up." An eleventh grader said, shoving a twelve year old Chad down on the sidewalk, his papers spilling out of his backpack.

"Ha ha, look at this." One of the eleventh graders laughed, snatching up one of Chad's papers.

"Give it back!" Chad demanded.

"What a retard, look, spelling test, 43, ha ha, look, resources, r-e-s-o-r-s-e-s, HAHAHA, what an dumbass." He laughed.

"Well Danforth, now we have two reasons to kick your ass, one, your retarded, and we don't tolerate retards around here, two, your dumbass hair."

"My hair isn't..." Chad began, but another one punched him in the face, causing him to fall.

"Ok, let's make this quick." He said, rolling his sleeves back.

"What quick?" Someone asked.

The three eleventh graders spun around to find Troy behind him.

"Mind your own business." One of them said.

"I'm pretty sure this is my business." Troy said.

"What?" He asked.

"Look, I'll tell you, come here." Troy said.

"Why?" He asked.

"I just don't want the others to hear, just let me whisper it to you."

The eleventh grader sighed and leaned in.

"Ok the secret is, your really stupid."

Suddenly Troy gouged his thumb in the eleventh graders eyes.

He screamed and jumped backwards.

"HIT EM CHAD!" Troy shouted.

Chad jumped up and kicked the other eleventh grader in the knee, he stumbled for a second then fell.

"FREAKING TEN YEAR OLDS!" The last one shouted, grabbing Chad by the arm.

Troy kicked his wrist, causing him to release his grip.

"COME ONE!" Troy said, helping Chad stuff up his papers back into his backpack.

They darted off as the eleventh graders pulled themselves together.

"Thanks man, I owe you one." Chad said.

_End._

Chad hesitated, a single tear making a clean streak on his blood soaked face.

"No...NO, I OWE YOU NOTHING!"

He grabbed Troy by the side of his hair and headbutted him over and over, until neither of them could stand anyomore.

"CHAD YOUR GONNA KILL HIM STOP!" Taylor screamed.

"SHUT UP, HE GETS WHAT HE DESERVES!" Chad shouted, pulling himself over his bloodied, beaten (former) friend.

"Chad...he's only trying to help you." Taylor cried, falling to her knees.

"He's never done a damn thing for me and he never will!" Chad growled.

"He's done more for you than anybody ever has or will." She whispered.

Chad turned his head slowly.

"How would you know?" He asked.

Taylor's eyes filled with fear as Chad stood up slow and turned to face her.

"He...he told me...he told me everything Chad...your problems...your addictions...your...your mother." She said.

Chad's eyes filled with tears,"YOU SON OF A BITCH, YOU SWORE TO ME, YOU SWORE ON YOU LIFE YOU WOULD NEVER TELL!"

He grabbed Troy by the collar and shook him,"YOU PROMISED ME!"

"I needed to know Chad, why wouldn't you tell me?"

"Because." He said, dropping Troy.

"BECAUSE WHY?" She shouted, outstreaching her arms.

"BECAUSE...BECAUSE I WAS SCARED THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE ME IF YOU KNEW, OK? I WAS SCARED THAT I WAS GONNA LOSE YOU, AND EVERYONE ELSE!"

"Chad...lose me? I would never leave you for that, I love you Chad, I really do, I hate to see what you've become, your doing just what you promised you would never go back to."

"I...I don't know what to do...I mean...Gabriella...Ryan..." He began.

"Ryan would hate to see you like this Chad, he would probably cry to see what you and Troy have done to each other, look, look at him." She said, walking up to Troy.

"This is your best friend, he cares about you, he loves you, and look at what you've done to him." She said, kneeling next Troy.

"Taylor...don't..." Troy whispered.

"Shhhhh, he needs to know." She said.

"He...HE WAS ASKING FOR IT, DID YOU SEE WHAT HE DID, HE SHOVED A GUN IN MY FACE, IS THAT OK?" Chad shouted, picking the gun up off the ground.

"HE WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP!"

"HELP? I SHOULD KILL HIM RIGHT NOW!"

Chad cocked the gun and aimed it at Troy.

"CHAD DON'T" Taylor screamed, throwing herself over Troy.

"Taylor...no...move..." Troy mumbled, trying to push her out of the way.

"CHAD NO!" Taylor screamed.

She squeezed her eyes shut and was expecting to be shot in the back, but instead she heard a small click.

She turned slowly, pulling herself off of Troy, his blood now covering her arm and shirt.

Chad had the gun pointed at the ground.

"IT'S NOT EVEN LOADED!" He shouted, throwing it through the window of his house.(I hate to ruin the moment, but that really made me laugh, I'm not sure why...BACK TO THE DRAMA!)

Troy pulled himself up.

"Troy no, stay down." Taylor said.

"No...I need to end this." He said, limping up to Chad.

"I'll still kill you where you stand you son of a..." Chad began, but Troy cut him off,"Just listen."

Chad narrowed his eyes, but dropped his clenched fist.

"I...never meant for this to happen, when I told Taylor, I didn't do it to upset you, to hurt you, but I told her to help you, look at yourself man, look at us, we've nearly killed each other, look at this."

He wiped the blood from his face and outstretched his hand,"This isn't right, I only wanna help you Chad, your my best friend and I'm not gonna hurt you anymore, so if you wanna fight, you've got nothing but free shots, so have at it."

Troy looked down and outstretched his arms.

Chad clenched his fist and gritted his teeth,"I hate you."

"You don't mean that, that's not even you talking, it's the drugs, the lies, the frustration, the anger." Troy said.

Chad looked away, he wouldn't admit it, but he knew Troy was right, he was absolutly right.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Chad asked.

"Because you need help, you need to stop, and rethink what you've let yourself become." Troy said.

"Baby, you can work through this, you can change, you did it once before." Taylor said, stepping next Troy.

"Not on my own though, I can't do anything, I'm worthless." Chad said.

Troy shook his head,"That's a lie, your not worthless, you've overcome so much in your life, you've won back to back basketball champoinships, you made the A-B honor role, I didn't even pull that one off, if anyone's worthless, it's me." Troy said.

"Your not worthless." Chad mumbled.

"WELL I COULDN'T EVEN PROTECT GABRIELLA WHEN SHE NEEDED ME, I COULDN'T SAVE RYAN, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" Troy shouted.

Chad jumped at Troy and grabbed him by his collar,"THAT'S A DAMN LIE, GABRIELLA MADE IT THROUGH HER SURGERY ALL BECAUSE OF YOU, AND YOU'VE DONE MORE FOR ME...than..." Chad trailed off,"Any...one."

Troy leaned in a bit,"What was that?"

"I said you've...you've done more for me that anyone else."

Chad let Troy go and turned around.

"Chad?" Taylor asked softly, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He sighed and placed his hand on top of hers.

"Chad...are you ok?" She asked.

"No." He said, his voice was shakey.

"Chad you can change." She said.

"But...look...look at what I did." He said, pointing at Troy.

"I'm gonna be fine, don't worry about it, just...just promise me..._again_, you'll never do something stupid like this again." Troy said.

"I can't do that Troy, because I can't do it on my own." Chad said.

"You don't have to." Taylor said.

Chad turned slowly to face her.

"Do...do you promise?" He asked

"With all my heart." She said.

He slowly looked up at Troy.

"I...I'm sorry Troy." He said.

He slowly approached him.

"I accept." Troy nodded, outstretching his hand.

Chad nodded and shook it.

Taylor brushed a tear away.

"Troy...you really need some help." She said.

"I...I guess your right...my vison's getting a little blurry." He said, brushing his face.

"You both need medical attention, I'll call an ambulance." Taylor said.

Troy sat down on the ground, holding his forehead.

The momentum had all diappeared, the adrenaline rush was over, and he realized just how much pain he was in.

"I'm really sorry man...I just forgot who I was." Chad said.

"Yeah...I guess we all do." Troy said.

"Where's Gabriella?" Chad asked.

"Oh no." Troy said, pulling himself back up.

"What?"

"She's...all...alone..." Troy said, stumbling towards the fence.

"Taylor will go get her, you need help man." Chad said.

"No...she...needs..." Troy didn't finish, he fell foward on the cold, hard ground.

"Me..." He whispered, before everything faded to black.

"TAYLOR!" Chad shouted.

_Cuts to black as we hear an ambulance siren.13 months later..._

**December 24, 2007**

**11:47 P.M**

"Is this enough?" Sharpay asked, stirring a pot.

"No no, you need more sage." Zeke said, picking up a bowl.

"Ugh, your just too picky, Gabriella how does this taste?" Sharpay asked, stuffing a spoon into Gabriella's mouth.

Gabriella's eyes grew huge,"It taste fine."

"See." Sharpay said.

"Oh yeah?" Zeke asked playfully,dumping the sage into the pot and stirring,"Well how about now?"

Gabriella took a small bite.

"It taste fine." She said.

"See." Zeke said.

Sharpay stuck her tongue out at him.

He smiled and kissed her cheek.

Cuts to a large room where we see Chad and Taylor snuggled on a couch, watching a movie.

Cuts back to the kitchen where we follow Gabriella through the backdoor.

"Troy?" She calls.

"Troy?" She calls again.

She rounded a corner, only to find him leaning on a guard rail.

She walked up and wrapped her arms around him.

He turned around suprised by the sudden warm embrace.

"Hey baby, why aren't you inside with the others?" He asked.

"Cause I want to be with you, besides, it's freezing out here, come inside, Chad and Tay are watching A Christmas Story, we can snuggle and watch it with them, we even have hot coco." She said, as Troy wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

"I just haven't seen it snow in such a while, I mean it's been..." He began,

"Three years?" She asked.

"Yup, and I...we stood right here and I...spent most of the time talking to myself."

Gabriella giggled,"I still can't belive you rented the ski lodge we first met at."

"Well it took a whole months salary, this really put my plasma T.V and Hummer fund in the pits." He said.

"Well I'm sure if you've been a good little boy, Santa will bring you everything you want." She teased.

"Even my Red Ryder?" He joked.

"You'll shoot your eye out." She said.

He smiled and kissed her.

"I love you Gabriella." He said.

"And I love you." She said, snuggling into his chest.

"Well we should get inside, only two minutes until Christmas." Troy said.

"Oh boy." She said, a sarcastic tone clearly visable.

"What?" He asked.

"Well, you just have...such a...knack for picking out the "perfect" gift every stinking year." She said.

Troy frowned,"I...though you liked my gifts?" He said, a little hurt.

"I do, I mean, they're great, but, I just wish..." She began.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing, just nothing." She sighed, rubbing her ring finger.

"Hey guys, we're opening gifts." Chad said.

"Coming." Troy said, as they turned and walked inside.

"Ok, here's one for Taylor, and it's from me." Sharpay smiled, handing Taylor the box.

"Thank Shar." Taylor smiled.

"And here's Chad's." She said.

"Awsome." Chad smiled.

Gabriella sat down to help Sharpay sort out the gifts.

Troy sat next to Chad, who was unwrapping his gift.

Troy let out a sad sigh.

"What's wrong man?" Chad asked.

"I...I think Gabriella wants me to pop the question." He said.

"Oh, well...I mean that's cool, are you?" He asked.

"I really want to, but I can't afford a ring, and I had to put everything I had into renting this ski lodge for everyone."

"Well I can help you out." Chad said.

"No no, I can't take your money, I want to pay for it on my own, it wouldn't feel right."

"Here's Troy's." Gabriella smiled, handing him a very small box.

"Hey Shar?" Gabriella asked.

"What?"

"What exactly did you get Troy?" Gabriella asked.

"Oh hold on." Sharpay said, reaching into a garbage bag full of gifts and pulling out a box,"I got him a shirt, I'm sure it was his size and it's blue, his favorite color right?"

"Yeah...but why did you get him two gifts?" Gabriella asked.

"I didn't, I got everyone one thing." She said.

"But I got that from you bag, Taylor and Chad's bad is sealed and Troy's and mine is to."

"Well maybe I accidentally picked him up two things, oh well, better to give." Sharpay smiled.

"Yeah." Gabriella smiled.

Cuts back to Troy and Chad.

"Awsome." Chad said, unfolding a shirt.

"Yeah, that's cool." Troy said.

"What you get?"

"Something small." Troy said.

"Well open it up." Chad said.

"Here you go Troy." Sharpay said, handing him another box.

"Thank." Troy said, a little confused.

"Well, let's see." Chad said.

Troy opened the package and pulled out a blue (Insert brand here) shirt.

"Almost as good as mine." Chad smiled.

"Shut up." Troy laughed, standing up.

"Thank Sharpay." He said.

"Your welcome, I hope you liked it, I remember you said blue was your favorite." She said.

"It is, I really like it." He said.

"Ok, do ours next." Taylor said, unwrapping her and Chad's bag.

Troy walked to the back and looked around, "Restroom was...right here."

After a minute or two, he walked out.

He was walking past the fire place, which had a stocking hung for him, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Zeke, and Sharpay, when he remembered the small package.

He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the label.

To: Troy

From:

"Hmmm, no name, I guess she forgot." He said to himself.

"Troy." Gabriella called, holding up a package.

"Just a second." He said, unwrapping it.

"A ring box?" He asked, pulling the last of the paper off of it.

He looked up at Sharpay, who was laughing and talking to Taylor.

"She...she wouldn't, she knows that Gabbi..." He began, but he opned the box and gasped.

It was a dazzling, diamond, engagement ring.

He stared in disbelief at the beatiful ring.

"But how...why?" He asked, looking around the room.

"She didn't know that I...we..." He began, looking around.

He shook his head, but couldn't help but smile,"Gabriella's gonna have a huge suprise tommorow then."

He closed the box and dropped it in his pocket.

"Wow." He whispered once more.

"Troy!" Gabriella called again.

"Coming baby." He smiled, walking past the fire place.

But when Troy moved one last stocking was revealed, it wasn't there before, but the name was surely familiar,

_Ryan._

**The End.**

Well guys it's been fun, sorry if the ending was to cheesy, but hey, it's Christmas, come on. So that was the last you'll ever hear from me, I hope you liked it. Well it's 5:07 in the morning, on Christmas morning and I haven'r slept a wink, and Santa never came, but by God I was ready. Well, gotta go put up the shotgun, Merry Christmas to all and a good night...morning...whatever, you get it.

Degene...no, no,

Gary L. Hendry.(Yes, that's my real name)


End file.
